The protest began around 10:30am, when groups gathered in front of the Press Club in small processions.
Auto-rickshaw drivers stage protest in Dhaka on Monday (5 October 2026). Photo: TBS
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Auto-rickshaw drivers stage protest in Dhaka on Monday (5 October 2026). Photo: TBS
Autorickshaw drivers staged a sit-in in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka today (5 October), pressing home several demands, including an end to alleged harassment by traffic police.
The protest significantly reduced the number of autorickshaws operating in the capital, leaving commuters struggling to find transport and causing inconvenience.
The protest began around 10:30am, when groups gathered in front of the Press Club in small processions. By 11:30am, several thousand participants had blocked both sides of the road, bringing traffic movement in the area to a halt.
At a protest rally, speakers alleged that autorickshaws were being seized on the roads and taken to dumping yards. They said fines ranging from Tk2,000 to Tk3,000 were being imposed, making it difficult for low-income drivers to pay the fines or retrieve their vehicles.
They also alleged that connections to autorickshaw charging points were being cut.
Autorickshaw drivers stage a strike demanding unrestricted movement on major roads and protesting police harassment. Photo: TBS
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Autorickshaw drivers stage a strike demanding unrestricted movement on major roads and protesting police harassment. Photo: TBS
The protesters demanded an end to vehicle dumping and police harassment and called for unrestricted movement of autorickshaws on all roads in the capital.
They warned of tougher programmes if their demands were not addressed and said they would continue the protest until the demands were met.
Around 12:30pm, they left the road and headed towards Paltan in a procession.
Confirming the matter, Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Moniruzzaman said several thousand autorickshaw drivers had blocked the road in front of the Press Club over various demands.
“Traffic movement came to a halt due to their blockade,” he said, adding that they left the area in a procession around 12:30pm.
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