A large number of rickshaw-pullers have blocked Dhaka roads, demanding the city authorities reverse a ban on rickshaw movement on three important roads in the capital.
The protesters have occupied the streets of Mugda, Maniknagar, Manda, Balurmath and Kamalapur Titipara and have been demonstrating since 8:30am on Monday, said the police.
"About 3,000 rickshaw-pullers are occupying the streets. Traffic has been halted from Mugda to Maniknagar as a result,” local police station chief Proloy Kumar Saha told bdnews24.com.
bdnews24.com photographer Abdullah Al Momin said traffic was brought to a stop from Sayedabad to Rampura and Khilgaon and from Basabo to Sayedabad as a group of people occupied the capital’s Maniknagar road.
“Rickshaw-pullers have continued to block the streets since morning. Police made attempts to convince them to leave the streets,” said Anwar Hossain, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, when asked about the matter.
“Those who are protesting are ordinary rickshaw-pullers and owners. The decision to ban rickshaws is suicidal,” National Rickshaw-Van Sramik League General Secretary Insur Ali said, bdnews24.com reported.
“We want a drive for the eviction of illegal rickshaws and the withdrawal of this ban. We will submit our demands to the prime minister on Jul 11.”
