Thursday, July 12, 2012

Police thwart rally of CNG auto-rickshaw drivers,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

Police on Thursday thwarted a rally of the CNG-run three-wheeler auto-rickshaw drivers in the capital organised to press home their 10-point demand.

Police charged baton on their pre-announced rally around 11am in front of the National Press Club. They alleged that some of the protesters were injured while police detained four others.

Meanwhile, no CNG auto-rickshaws were seen plying in the city on the second day of their indefinite strike enforced from Wednesday.

The auto-rickshaw drivers in Dhaka enforced the strike to press home their 10-point demands including distribution of new 5,000 auto-rickshaws among them and stop 'harassment and extortion' by police.

The Dhaka Zila Auto-rickshaw Shramik Union and Dhaka Auto-rickshaw Shramik Union declared the strike.

Meanwhile, CNG-driven Auto-rickshaw Owners' Association, who were supposed to join the agitation, had call off the strike on Tuesday.

Shahbagh Police Station Petrol Inspector (PI) Mohammad Shahid told bdnews24.com that the auto-rickshaw drivers began gathering in front of the press club since morning. Police told them not to block the road.

"But instead they brought out a procession. Some of them received injuries from the metal barricades kept on the side of the road when we chased them," he said.

Two of the injured, Lal Mia, 60, and 'Khokon', 56, were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, he said adding, "None of them were detained."

Injured CNG auto-rickshaw driver 'Khokon', however, told reporters at DMCH that police charged batons in their peaceful rally. "They also took four protesters."

The other demands of the CNG auto-rickshaw drivers include taking legal actions against owners for charging more rent than fixed by the authorities, establishing parking areas for auto-rickshaws in the city and cancelling the provision of re-examination during renewal of driving license.

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