Train movement resumes as battery-run rickshaw drivers move away

Train movement resumed between Dhaka and some parts of the country on Friday afternoon as the drivers of battery-run rickshaws lifted their blockade at the Jurain level crossing in the city after several hours.

Md Anwar Hossain, station master of the capital’s Kamalapur railway station, told Prothom Alo that movement of trains began around 3: 00 pm on the Dhaka-Narayanganj routes, as trains bound for Khulna and Rajshahi via Padma Bridge start departing the capital.

Earlier in the day, drivers of battery-run rickshaws demonstrated in Jurain from 11:00 am blocking the rail lines in the area. They also engaged in clashes with police during the protests.

Drivers enforced the blockade protesting the ban on the movement of battery-run rickshaws and demanding permission to ply those rickshaws on Dhaka roads.

Movement of trains on Dhaka-Narayanganj and trains bound for Khulna and Rajshahi departing from Dhaka remained halted since the demonstration.

Police and witnesses said more than 200 battery-run rickshaw drivers blocked the Zurail rail crossing and began demonstrations, causing traffic jams on both sides of the crossing. Police requested the protesters to clear the area around 12:45 pm, which they ignored.

At one point, chases took place between protesters and police. Protesting drivers hurled brick chips at police, triggering clashes. Police lobbed tear shells and charged batons to disperse battery-run rickshaw drivers.

Shaympur police station officer-in-charge (OC) Md Shafiqul Islam told Prothom Alo police fired tear gas canisters and charged batons to control the situation, and the situation returned to normal after 1:30 pm.