Transport worker dies in clashes with police over Buriganga bridge toll

A man died after transport workers clashed with police during a demonstration over the Buriganga bridge toll on Friday.

The workers demanded resetting the toll rate for the Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge in Postagola on the outskirts of Dhaka.

The dead worker has been identified as 28-year-old Sohel, a driver of a smaller passenger vehicle, locally known as Mahendra. 

Witnesses said Sohel died after police opened fire on the protesters as the demonstration turned violent.

The police rushed to the scene when agitated transport workers began their demonstration on Friday morning. At one point, clashes erupted between the police and workers.

The workers were protesting near the bridge in Keraniganj. They were hurling bricks at the law enforcers. Police initially fired rubber bullets to disperse them, bdnews24.com reported.

Traffic remained suspended on the bridge due to the skirmishes.

In 2015, traffic over the bridge remained halted for three days due to the autorickshaw drivers’ protest against a toll hike.

Later, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, a transport worker leader, stepped in, and the protesters called off the demonstration.