Rickshaw Pullers Move Out, Train Starts After 4 Hours
Battery-run rickshaw drivers have moved away from the capital's Jurain rail crossing. As a result, train traffic has returned to normal after a long 4 hours.
The train service started at around 3 pm on Friday (November 22).
Confirming the matter, Kamalapur Railway Station Master Mohammad Anwar Hossain told the media that Dhaka-Narayanganj and Rajshahi-Khulna-bound trains started operating via the Padma Bridge at around 3 pm.
Earlier, battery-run auto-rickshaw drivers blocked roads and railway tracks in Jurain at around 11 am. At that time, they lowered barriers on the railway line. This caused traffic jams on the surrounding roads. Later, around 1 pm, the police asked the protesters to move away. However, the rickshaw drivers ignored them and continued their protest on the railway line.
At one stage, there was a chase and counter-chase between the two sides. Later, the police dispersed the drivers by firing tear gas shells and beating them with sticks. After that, the train service resumed when the situation normalized.
In this regard, Shyampur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Shafiqul Islam told the media that the police fired tear gas shells and were forced to beat them with sticks to bring the situation under control. The situation normalized after 1:30 pm.
Incidentally, last Tuesday, the High Court bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Mahmudur Razi ordered the suspension of battery-run rickshaws in the Dhaka Metropolitan Area within three days.
Battery-run rickshaw drivers have been protesting in different areas of the capital since the day after the High Court order. On Thursday, the capital came to a standstill due to the blockade of rickshaw drivers. At that time, they clashed with members of the law enforcement agencies in turn. Train service was suspended for about 6 hours due to the blockade.
The protesters claim that they do not accept the High Court's order to ban autorickshaws. They also want the order to be withdrawn. The protesters said that they will continue their program until autorickshaws are allowed to ply.
However, while there is a provision for obtaining a license for pedal-run rickshaws from the City Corporation, there is no provision for issuing a license for battery-run rickshaws. When writs were filed in 2013 and 2014 to obtain a license for battery-run rickshaws, the High Court dismissed both those writs.
Comments