Battery-run rickshaw drivers dispersed after clash with cops

A clash broke out between battery-run rickshaw drivers and police teamed up with the local ruling party members as the latter tried to clear Mirpur-10 intersection this afternoon.

After the clash, the protestors were dispersed and vehicular movement in the area resumed around 3:00pm, five hours after they blockade at the busy roundabout, protesting the ongoing drives against them.

Our staff correspondent reported from the spot that a group of ruling party men appeared the scene around 2:30pm and requested the drivers to vacate the busy area.

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Refused, the ruling party men chased the drivers with sticks. Police, who were passionately handling the situation for several hours, later joined them and charged batons to drove them away from the streets.

The drivers retaliated with throwing brick chips, leaving several injured from the both sides.

A number of vehicles were also vandalised during the clash, our staff correspondent said.

The protesting drivers took position at different lane when the report was filed at 3:30pm.

Jasim Uddin Mollah, deputy commissioner of Mirpur Division Police, they waited long time to the protestors to leave the roads peacefully and but the drivers refused to go away. So, they drove them away, he said.

Witnesses said commuters suffered as the drivers of battery-run rickshaws and easy bikes have been protesting the ongoing crackdown against their vehicles by blocking various roads at Mirpur in Dhaka since this morning.

They later gathered and blocked Mirpur-10 intersection.