At least 20 workers were injured when a clash broke out between bus and CNG-run autorickshaw workers in Naogaon’s Manda upazila on Friday.
The identities of the injured could not be known immediately.
During the clash, two buses and 15 autorickshaws were vandalized. The clash took place around 3pm in Sabai Hat and Ferighat areas of Manda upazila.
Following the clash, the movement of buses and three-wheelers has remained suspended on the Naogaon-Rajshahi highway.
SM Matiuzzaman Moti, general secretary of Naogaon Motor Workers Union, said according to the law, three-wheelers are prohibited on the highway.
Autorickshaw drivers were forcefully plying on the Naogaon-Rajshahi highway despite repeated prohibitions from the administration and motor workers unions.
Recently tensions have arisen between the two sides over the issue.
Around 2:30pm, CNG drivers and owners vandalized two buses on the Naogaon-Rajshahi highway at Sabai Hat Bazar area and beat the drivers and helpers of both the buses, he alleged.
Later, the bus workers placed a bus on the road in the Ferighat area to protest the incident and obstruct the traffic movement resulting in clashes again between the two groups.
Shafiqul Islam, president of CNG-Owners Workers' Association, Sabai Hat branch, said that the people of Naogaon Bus Owners' Association and Motor Workers Union had been obstructing the movement of CNG-run autorickshaws by illegally setting up checkposts in Mandar Chaudmail and Ferighat areas for a long time.
When the autorickshaw owners and workers protested on August 29, the Motor Workers Union beat them up.
On Friday after Jummah prayer, the supporters of the motor workers union stopped an autorickshaw near Sabai Hat Bazar area of the upazila and beat up its driver while going to Rajshahi from Ferighat.
Later bus workers again attacked CNG owner and driver in Ferighat area of the upazila leaving 15 autorickshaw drivers injured, he added.
The attackers also vandalized 15-16 autorickshaws at that time, Shafiqul Islam added.
Meanwhile, hundreds of vehicles and commuters got stuck for hours in a 25-kilometre long tailback on Naogaon-Rajshahi highway as the local administration failed to resolve the problem till 7:30pm on Friday.
“We are trying to bring the situation under control,” said Mozammel Haque Kazi, officer-in-charge (OC) of Manda police station.
Additional police forces have been deployed in Ferighat area to avoid further clashes.
“Efforts are underway to normalize traffic and reach middle ground after talking with the two sides,” added the OC.
