Rickshaw pullers block Shahbagh demanding ban on battery-run autorickshaws

Rickshaw pullers in Dhaka have blocked the Shahbagh intersection, demanding a ban on battery-operated autorickshaws and halting traffic on surrounding roads. Previously, former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader ordered authorities on May 15 to ensure that battery-operated rickshaws were banned from operating on Dhaka city roads. On May 19, autorickshaw drivers blocked the Mirpur 10 intersection, vandalized buses, and set fire to a police box. The next day, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina allowed battery-operated rickshaws to continue operating in Dhaka despite protests.