A clash erupted this afternoon between battery-run rickshaw drivers and police, who were supported by local ruling party members, as the authorities attempted to clear the Mirpur-10 intersection.
The protest, which started earlier in the day, saw the drivers blocking the busy roundabout to oppose ongoing drives against their vehicles. The confrontation escalated, but by 3:00 pm, the protesters were dispersed, and vehicular movement resumed after a five-hour blockade.
A group of ruling party members arrived around 2:30 pm and requested the rickshaw drivers to vacate the area. When the drivers refused, the party members chased them with sticks. The police, who had been managing the situation for several hours, joined in and used batons to drive the protesters away.
The drivers retaliated by throwing bricks, resulting in injuries on both sides. Several vehicles were also vandalised during the clash.
As of 3:30 pm, the protesting drivers had taken positions in different lanes.
Jasim Uddin Mollah, Deputy Commissioner of Mirpur Division Police, said they had waited a long time for the protesters to leave peacefully, but when the drivers refused, they were forced to disperse them.
Witnesses reported that commuters suffered significant inconvenience as battery-run rickshaw and easy bike drivers blocked various roads in Mirpur, Dhaka, since the morning.
The drivers later gathered and blocked the Mirpur-10 intersection, leading to the day's events.
