Commuters faced immense hardship on Sunday (16 February) morning as CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers staged protests at several key entry points to the capital, blocking roads and causing severe traffic congestion.
A video captured from the Shonir Akhra area showed hundreds of people forced to walk into Dhaka while vehicles on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway remained at a standstill towards Cumilla.
The footage, shared on social media by an individual named Alamgir Hossain, highlighted the extent of the disruption.
According to him, CNG drivers obstructed roads at Shonir Akhra, demanding a reduction in their daily deposits and an increase in metered fares.
They claimed that a new directive had been issued, imposing a Tk50,000 fine and a six-month jail term for not charging fares according to the meter.
However, they argued that operating under current metered rates would make it impossible for them to sustain their livelihoods, given the high daily deposits they must pay to vehicle owners.
The protesting drivers further stated that rising prices of essential commodities have made it increasingly difficult for them to survive under existing fare structures.
They called for an increase in the per-kilometre metered fare to Tk60 and a reduction in their daily deposit requirements to alleviate their financial burden.
As the protest persisted, traffic movement remained paralysed, exacerbating the woes of thousands of commuters attempting to enter the capital.
