SM Mizanur Rahman :In a sudden development, the drivers and owners of auto-rickshaw on the third day of their demonstrations on Monday threatened to commit suicide along with their family members if the government does not withdraw ban on plying of three-wheelers on the highways.”We will commit suicide along with our family members if we are not allowed to ply auto-rickshaws on the highways within the next two working days,” warned Hossain Sardar, President of Natore Auto-rickshaw Owners and Drivers’ Association. Drivers and owners of the auto-rickshaws continued their demonstrations in different parts of the country for the third consecutive day on Monday protesting the government ban on plying of three-wheelers on the highways.They demonstrated on different highways across the country, including Dhaka-Natore, Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Kushtia, Dhaka-Rangpur, Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Bogra highways, putting barricades on them. The auto-rickshaw drivers clashed with members of law enforcing agencies on different highways. Chase and counter-chase also took place during the demonstrations. Police fired gunshots and rubber bullets, lobbed tear gas shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse the agitating owners and drivers of auto-rickshaw halting vehicles movement on the highways. Traffic movement on different busy highways remained halted for several hours due to the clash, causing long tailback on those routes.In Natore, drivers and owners of auto-rickshaws under the banner of Auto-rickshaw Owners and Drivers’ Association brought out a procession from Madrasa crossing. Parading different roads they later held a protest rally and formed human chain in front of the local Press Club.Later, they submitted memorandum to the government through Natore Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP). In Narayanganj, at least 10 people were injured in a clash between auto-rickshaw drivers and police on Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Signboard in Fatullah thana at about 10:00am on Monday. Sources said, the drivers and workers staged demonstration on Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Signboard area in the morning protesting the government ban. The protesters also vandalised 20 vehicles on the highway and pelted stones targeting the law enforcers. At one stage, police swooped on them and charged baton on them, triggering a chase and counter-chase. Police fired gunshots and robber bullets and lobbed tear gas canisters to bring the situation under control, leaving 10 people injured.Talking to The New Nation, Narayanganj Police Super Kandaker Mohid Uddin said that they had requested the drivers and owners of auto-rickshaws for not going for rampage but they did not respond rather taking to the streets and started ransacking all sorts of vehicles.”Our forces tolerated their hooliganism on Monday. But if they continue their violent programme on Tuesday we will not sit idle. We will go for tough action as per government’s order,” the SP said. In Comilla, traffic movement on Dhaka-Chittagong highway remained halted for hours as auto-rickshaw workers staged demonstrations and blocked the highway at many points, including village Pannai in Daudkandi upazila. Zamir Miah, an auto-rickshaw driver of Gopalpur village said police even are not allowing them to taking Compressed Natural Gas from the filling station situated on the highway. “It is inhuman. It can’t be tolerated. We have no option but to go to the highway for taking CNG. But police are taking bribe of taka 200 from us for taking CNG from the filling station situated on the highway,” he told journalists. In Bogra, the drivers and owners of auto-rickshaws staged demonstration, took out procession and formed human chain at zero point adjacent to Shaheed Khokon Park in the town.They issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the government to withdraw the ban on plying of three-wheelers on the highways. Otherwise, they will lay siege to the highway and launch violent programme.
