Battery-run autorickshaw driver ‘assaults’ Ctg traffic cop, bites sergeant before fleeing

A battery-run autorickshaw driver allegedly assaulted a traffic policeman and bit a sergeant who intervened to stop him at the Dampara-Nursery intersection in Chattogram last night (23 September).

The incident took place around 8pm while traffic police were on duty. The driver fled the scene, while police detained his wife, who was travelling with him in the autorickshaw.

According to police and an eyewitness, the autorickshaw was attempting to pass through a traffic jam when traffic police tried to stop it. The driver allegedly grabbed a policeman by the collar and grappled with him.

Traffic Sergeant (North) Arman Hossain intervened, and the driver allegedly bit his hand. The sergeant and another traffic policeman then grappled with the driver.

Locals detained the driver and his wife, but the driver fled before police arrived after locals alerted them.

Speaking to The Business Standard, Sergeant Arman Hossain said, “The male driver ran away at one point. When traffic congestion developed in the area, he fled.”

He said the driver initially appeared to be intoxicated and that, on the instructions of senior officers, the autorickshaw was sent to a dumping station.

“The woman was detained over allegations that she assaulted police members,” he said.

Eyewitness Abdur Rahim said the driver fled after local people gathered at the scene.

“If local people had not come forward, more people could have been injured. An attack on police cannot be accepted,” he said.

Police say battery-run autorickshaws difficult to control

On efforts to regulate battery-run autorickshaws in Chattogram, CMP Deputy Commissioner (Traffic-North) Nessar Uddin Ahmed said many drivers of such vehicles do not have the required registration.

“There are also High Court directives on the matter. However, until there is a specific policy at the state level to completely stop or eliminate battery-run autorickshaws, it is not possible for CMP alone to decide to ‘eliminate autorickshaws’,” he told TBS.

“In the case of Chattogram city, we are trying to keep them under control as much as possible. The traffic police regularly conduct drives and other activities,” he added.

He said police also conduct awareness programmes at schools, colleges and other places to educate people about the risks associated with battery-run rickshaws and autorickshaws.

Traffic police have faced attacks before

Traffic police in Chattogram have faced attacks on several occasions while conducting drives against battery-run and CNG-run autorickshaws.

On 21 December 2025, CNG-run autorickshaw drivers allegedly attacked traffic police during a drive in the Moijjartek area of Karnaphuli upazila. Two traffic police members were injured, and police later detained 10 people over the incident.

Earlier, on 6 October 2025, a traffic police member was attacked while police were seizing battery-run autorickshaws on Airport Road in the Katgor area under Patenga Police Station. Drivers also took away a seized autorickshaw at the time. The injured police member, Nazrul Islam, was working as a wrecker operator in the Port Zone of the city traffic police.

More recently, traffic police member Abdul Quddus, 55, died at Chattogram Medical College Hospital on 20 May 2026 after sustaining serious injuries in a collision involving a battery-run autorickshaw.