BNP Activists Clash With Rickshaw Drivers in Jatrabari, 15 Injured (video)

DHAKA — At least 15 people were injured Sunday when BNP activists clashed with battery-powered rickshaw drivers protesting at Jatrabari intersection.

The drivers blocked roads, including the Dhaka-Chattogram and Dhaka-Mawa highways, from 10 a.m., demanding the ban on their vehicles be lifted. Traffic came to a halt, and police were deployed to the area.

Witnesses said BNP activists and their affiliates confronted the drivers, leading to a violent altercation. Protesters vandalized several vehicles, and the clash injured bus passengers, drivers, and pedestrians.

Some students from nearby colleges joined BNP activists and chased the rickshaw drivers off the road. Traffic resumed after about an hour.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Saleh Uddin of Wari Zone said the drivers refused to clear the road despite police requests. He added that some protesters threw bricks at officers, injuring several.

Rickshaw drivers expressed frustration over the ban, with one saying it could leave them unable to repay loans or feed their families.