Auto-rickshaw drivers in the Rajshahi city on Wednesday enforced an abrupt daylong strike in protest at toll collection in every crossing.
They went for the strike without any previous announcement and vowed to continue their strike today if no step was taken to stop the toll collection.
Local sources said auto-rickshaw drivers gathered in front of the Rajshahi Press Club at around 8:00am and brought out a procession.
After parading the major city points, the procession ended in a rally at Shaheb Bazar Zero Point. They also damaged four auto-rickshaws for carrying passenger during the strike.
Speakers at the rally alleged that some extortionists used to collect tolls at least at 30 points in the city and the auto-rickshaw drivers have to pay minimum Tk 100 daily to the toll collectors.
They said because of these toll collectors they hardly manage to earn enough to give the daily deposit to the auth-rickshaw owners.
Speakers from the rally urged the authorities concerned to take action against the extortionists.
Meanwhile, auto-rickshaw owners said the derivers illegally had enforced the strike, which caused sufferings to the city dwellers.
They said in a statement that the auto-rickshaw drivers, led by Khodabakhs and Nayon, had enforced the strike without having discussion with the owners.
Halimuzzaman Alal, president of Rajshahi battery-run auto-rickshaw owners' association, told New Age that they would lodge a case against the auto-rickshaw drivers who damaged auto-rickshaws.
The city commuters are facing serious problems because of the sudden strike.
Rayhan Rasel, a university admission seeker, told New Age that he could not attend classes at his coaching centre on Wednesday as he could not avail any auto-rickshaw during the strike.
Halima Khatun, a Rajshahi Medical College Hospital nurse residing at Shaheb Bazar, told New Age that she used to go to hospital by auto-rickshaw paying Tk 5. 'But I paid Tk 15 to a rickshaw pullers on Wednesday because of the strike,' she added.
When contacted, Rajshahi acting mayor Sariful Islam Babu told New Age that they would sit very soon with auto-rickshaw owners and drivers.
Source : New Age
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