Battery-run rickshaw drivers continued their protests against the ban on battery-powered vehicles, staging a road blockade in Dhaka’s Agargaon area on Monday (25 November) morning, calling for the withdrawal of the High Court order and seeking licences and rationalised route permits from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).
The demonstration began at approximately 10:30am, with hundreds of drivers gathering on the streets, disrupting normal traffic flow.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Traffic-Mirpur Division Yasina Ferdous stated, “Battery-powered rickshaw drivers have once again blocked the roads in Agargaon. Their demonstration is causing significant traffic disruptions. We are rerouting vehicles from Mirpur 10 to alternative directions and are working to bring the situation under control.”
Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s office submitted a petition on Monday challenging the High Court’s directive to ban battery-powered rickshaws.
The appeal was filed with the relevant branch of the Appellate Division, with a hearing likely to take place later in the day at the Chamber Judge's court.
In an effort to address the issue, a delegation of rickshaw drivers met with Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Mohammad Sajjat Ali for discussions aimed at resolving the crisis.
The protests, ongoing for several days, reflect mounting frustrations among rickshaw drivers who demand not only the reversal of the ban but also the provision of proper licences and legitimate route permits to continue their operations lawfully.
