Battery-run rickshaw-pullers go on strike in Rajshahi

Protesting a city corporation decision to limit their numbers in the streets, battery-run rickshaw-pullers of Rajshahi city observed an eight-hour strike yesterday.

Earlier last month, as the increasing number of easy bikes and battery-run auto-rickshaws have started to bear down on the city's traffic, the city corporation in its general meeting decided to limit their operations.

The decision, scheduled to take effect from yesterday, is to divide the rickshaws into two colours -- red and green -- and schedule the green ones to ply by day and red ones to run in the night.

In light of this, hundreds of rickshaw-pullers brought out a procession at 11 in the morning and started demonstrating by sitting-in in front of Rajshahi Nagar Bhaban.

They said they demand the city corporation give them permission to pull their battery-run vehicles all day long.

Protesters also told journalists that they feel compelled to demonstrate as their livelihoods depend on it. By limiting their operations, the owners and rickshaw-pullers will be unable to earn enough money to pay for rent and food and payoff accrued loans, which will make things difficult for them especially during the ongoing pandemic, they said.

Around 1:30am, Rajshahi City Corporation mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton came out of his office and talked to them.

He assured them that the decision will be reviewed after city corporation officials sit for a meeting with the rickshaw-pullers' leaders and hear their demands.He also said no decision will be taken to hamper anyone's livelihood in the city.