PM lifts ban on it for poor people’s interest: Quader

Staff Correspondent:

Taking a U-turn from his stance over ousting the battery-run auto-rickshaws from Dhaka streets, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday said that, the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has permitted running of such vehicles considering the hardship of the low-income group.

Quader, also general secretary of the ruling Awami League, said this while addressing a programme at the party’s central office on Bangabandhu Avenue on Monday.

He came up with the announcement a day after the sporadic clashes took place between the auto-rickshaw drivers and police in Mirpur area of Dhaka.

Earlier on 15 May, Quader, during the first meeting of the Road Transport Advisory Council held at the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) office in Banani area, ordered the authorities concerned to remove all auto-rickshaws from the city streets.

Quader, however, said that the plying of the auto-rickshaws will be prohibited on 22 highroads across the country.

Besides, a group of auto-rickshaw drivers staged a demonstration in front of the national press club and threatened that they would go for a nationwide movement from 27 May unless the decision is withdrawn immediately.