An altercation broke out between students and battery-operated rickshaw drivers in Agargaon, Dhaka. The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon at Agargaon intersection. At one point, the drivers, agitated, chased the students, forcing them to retreat.
Earlier, from 10am, battery-operated rickshaw drivers had gathered at this intersection. Due to their blockade, vehicular movement on the road from Gabtoli to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) remained suspended until 12:30pm.
Later, police and students attempted to negotiate with the drivers. Around noon, when the students asked the drivers to leave the road, a heated argument escalated into a physical altercation. The drivers, angered, pursued the students, forcing them to back off.
Since the morning, the blockade by battery-operated rickshaw drivers caused significant disruptions for commuters. In particular, patients and their relatives visiting various hospitals in the Agargaon area faced severe difficulties.
Earlier on Tuesday, the High Court ordered the suspension of all battery-operated rickshaw operations within Dhaka Metropolitan area within three days. This order was issued following a preliminary hearing of a writ petition by a High Court bench comprising Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Mahmudur Razi.
Following the directive, on Wednesday, battery-operated rickshaw drivers staged road blockades in various areas of the capital, including Jatrabari’s Dayaganj, Mirpur, and Kalyanpur. On the second day of the protests, the rickshaw drivers gathered again from 9:30am in areas like Mohakhali, Mohammadpur, Mirpur, Gabtoli, and Demra, causing severe traffic congestion and immense inconvenience to the public.
