People suffer as demo continues for 2nd day
Three-wheeler ban on highways
UNB
People across the country suffered for the second consecutive day yesterday as auto-rickshaw drivers and owners continued demonstrations protesting the ban on auto-rickshaws on highways, reports UNB.
In Comilla, at least 20 people, including five policemen, were injured in a clash between auto-rickshaw drivers and police on Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Gazipur in Daudkandi upazila. Protests were also reported from other parts of the country including Mymensingh, Sylhet and Barisal.
In Comilla, three wheeler drivers and workers staged demonstrations on Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Gazipur point in Daudkandi upazila in the morning protesting the government ban.
The protesters also vandalised 50 vehicles on the highway.
At one stage, police rushed in and charged baton on them, triggering a chase and counter-chase. Police fired robber bullets and lobbed tear gas canisters to bring the situation under control, leaving 15 people, including 10 with bullets, injured.
However, five policemen were also injured during the incident.
Traffic movement on the busy highway remained halted for several hours due to the clash, causing a 30-kilometer long tailback from Gouripur in Daudkandi upazila to Bhaberchar in Gozaria upazila.
In Sylhet, auto-rickshaw workers staged demonstrations at 12 points of the district on Sunday, protesting the ban on plying of three-wheelers on the highways.
Besides, in Gazipur, auto-rickshaw owners and workers staged demonstrations on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway protesting the ban.
They staged demonstrations in different areas of Joydebpur and Chandona Chowrasta of the city in the morning.
The protesters also blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Joina Bazar area in Sreepur.
Meanwhile, traffic movement on Dhaka-Barisal highway in Gouranadi upazila of Barisal district remained halted for three hours as the auto-rickshaw and three-wheeler drivers and workers put up barricade on the road on Sunday.
However, the District Bus Owners Association went on an indefinite strike in the district from Sunday afternoon demanding security on the highway.
Earlier on Monday, the government clamped a ban on the movement of the light vehicles like three-wheeler and non-motorised vehicles on the highways across the country with effect from August 1.
The ban came in the wake of deaths of over 240 people in a series of road accidents before and after the Eid-ul-Fitr across the country.
