Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Secretary General and former MP Professor Mia Golam Porwar has issued the following statement on 20th May, 2024 expressing deep concern over the incident of hourlong clashes between the autorickshaw drivers and the police in Dhaka’s Mirpur area on 19th May.

“Protesting a government’s decision to stop the operation of autorickshaws on the street without providing any alternative solution, the drivers gathered near the Mirpur-10 intersection of the city and blocked the road. Police tried to disperse them which erupted the clashes. At one point, the agitating autorickshaw drivers set fire in the police box that halted transportation in the entire area and caused deterioration of the law-and-order situation.

Right now, thousands of battery-runs autorickshaws, vans, and three-wheelers are plying on the Dhaka Street. Hundreds of thousands of people are involved with this profession. Most of these drivers are illiterate and unskilled. They are not qualified to do job. So, without providing any alternative solution, if autorickshaws operations are stopped that they and their families will be in deep troubles. Many of these drivers had bought autorickshaws, van and three wheelers by taking loans. If they cannot run these vehicles, they will not be able to pay the due installment. Under such situation, the government should consider their justified demands to facilitate their rights. They are members of the society and they do have the rights to live along with their family members in this society. Their logical demands must be considered positively.

I am urging the concerned authorities to hold dialogues with the autorickshaw drivers and go for an amicable solution to resolve the ongoing crisis.