Hundreds of rickshaw pullers in the capital went on rampage Monday protesting the authority's recent decision to make some important roads off-limits for the non-mechanised vehicles. The protestors damaged a number of buses, cars and other modes of motorised vehicles at various key points in the city where most of the dwellers depend on the rickshaw for a short-distance journey. Traffic department of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) last week imposed restrictions on rickshaws from entering the road stretching between Rampura and Mouchak, causing worries to the people who are dependent on rickshaws for movement. Being infuriated by the embargo, rickshaw pullers from Kuril, Rampura, Malibagh, Badda, Moghbazar and Shantinagar areas with processions came to Muktangon to join their earlier announced rally where they requested the government to withdraw the decision immediately for the sake of their survival. Traffic in the area came to a halt for about half an hour from 10:30am due to massive participation arranged by Bangladesh Rickshaw-Van Owners and Workers' Protest Council -- a platform of 25 organisations of rickshaw-pullers and owners. The council was formed recently to protest the government decision. Leaders of the council said they will submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requesting her to lift the ban allowing them to ply rickshaws in those streets again. At one stage of the rally, the demonstrators became violent as the law enforcers tried to clear the approach roads for smooth vehicular movements, leading to chase and counter chase marked by acts of vandalism. A sub-inspector of Ramna Police Station said the protesting rickshaw pullers also attacked their colleagues who were plying the three wheelers on the roads ignoring the strike call. Rickshaw-pullers also clashed with the policemen in Rampura, Malibagh, Mouchak, Shantinagar and Kakrail areas. A senior leader of the council Insur Ali said the authority must cancel the order which has halved the daily income of the poor rickshaw-pullers. "We don't want any violence. We just want to survive by dint of hard work. Don't force us to go for massive movement," he said adding that the government must rehabilitate them financially before taking such steps. Shiblee Noman, officer-in-charge of Ramna Police Station, told the FE that the angry rickshaw-pullers vandalised several vehicles in Moghbazar, Malibagh and Shantinagar areas. DMP traffic officials were not available for comments over the matter after repeated attempts. Right activists expressed their concern over the decision apprehending that it could seriously affect the social security in the city of nearly 130 million people as many of the frustrated rickshaw pullers might be involved in various criminal activities for survival.
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