Five-hour halt in southern rail services ends as battery-run rickshaw drivers clear tracks

Protests against High Court’s ban on battery-run rickshaws disrupt rail services

Train services between Dhaka and the southern region have resumed after a five-hour disruption caused by protests from battery-run rickshaw drivers in Dhaka’s Jurain.

The disruption began around 11am when rickshaw drivers blocked both the road and rail lines in the area. This led to the suspension of all train services along the route.

Once the protestors dispersed and the situation normalised, the first train from Dhaka left at 3:50pm, said Kamalapur Rail Station Master Md Anwar Hossain.

He added, "The blockade caused a halt in all trains heading south via the Padma Bridge, including those bound for Narayanganj. After assurances from police, services were resumed."

The battery-run rickshaw drivers took the streets for the third consecutive day, protesting a High Court order banning the operation of their vehicles in Dhaka.

Shyampur Police Station chief Md Shafiqul Islam told bdnews24.com, “Around 1pm, when police asked the rickshaw drivers to clear the road, there was a clash between the protesters and police. Police then fired several rounds of tear gas shells to bring the situation under control."

"Although the rickshaw pullers remained in the area sporadically, they eventually moved away. After that, road traffic and train services returned to normal”, the OC added.