Khulna rickshaw strike causes sufferings

Commuters suffered as an indefinite motorised rickshaw strike in Khulna city continued for second consecutive day yesterday.

The strike came as Khulna City Corporation continued a crackdown on banned battery-run rickshaws, said sources at KCC and rickshaw owners.

The battery-run rickshaw drivers tried to block Notunrasta intersection but police foiled the attempt. The drivers claimed that this ban will bring woes to around 25,000 families.

Visiting different roads in wards-6, 7, 9, 21 and 19, The Daily Star found almost all the roads and alleys were free from battery-run rickshaws.

Only six to seven such rickshaws were plying Dackbangla and Picture Palace intersections. There was no rickshaw on 9km Dackbangla-Daulatpur road.

Many had to remain stranded at Sonadanga Bus Terminal after getting off buses. The same scenario was seen on Ferry Ghat intersection.

Maruf Sheik, who came from Barishal with his three family members, was one of them.

He said, “I was looking for rickshaw to go to my Tutpara residence, but to no avail.”

“Several easy bikes remained parked, but they were charging extra,” he added.

Faruq Hossain Talukder, senior licence officer of KCC, told The Daily Star that they gave licence to 17,000 rickshaws that were turned into battery-run ones later. Now, the number has risen to 25,000, he added.

The number of legal rickshaws is not more than 200, he further said.