Idris Ali took his ailing mother to the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital this morning. But when they were heading out, on his way back to Keraniganj, they saw the city was in knots.
They faced numerous blockades along the way as Dhaka streets turned into a nightmare for commuters with protests by battery-run rickshaw drivers blocking major roads across the city this morning (21 November).
Idris told the media that he had to plead his way out of the demonstrations, and at some point, the protesters allowed their CNG to pass but only up to Mohammadpur.
There, they were stopped again, leaving Idris with no choice but to support his mother on foot until they managed to find another ride.
The demonstrations, triggered by a recent High Court (HC) directive banning such vehicles, caused gridlocks and left thousands stranded, with many forced to walk miles to reach their destinations.
Key areas, including Mohakhali, Mirpur-10, Kalyanpur, and Agargaon, witnessed severe disruptions. Roads were clogged with vehicles, while desperate commuters searched for alternatives.
Patients travelling for urgent medical care were among the worst hit.
Mirpur resident Iqbal Mahmud shared his ordeal, saying, “The protests at Mirpur-10 forced me to walk a long way to reach my office. It’s exhausting and frustrating.”
A Bosila resident, Niloy, had to commute on foot amid a crowd of protestors who were seen vandalising vehicles and causing mayhem in the streets this afternoon.
Moreover, commute time became unpredictably long for many, said Al Fazle Rabby, for whom it took 5.5 hours to reach Kawran Bazar from Demra.
The ripple effect of the blockades extended beyond daily commuters.
Muhammad Quader Helal, a recruiting agency businessman, revealed how one of his employees missed a crucial flight to Saudi Arabia.
“Even with tickets and a work permit, he couldn’t get to the airport on time. This chaos is unacceptable,” he said.
Social media was abuzz with angry reactions.
Sadiya A Suchita, stuck in traffic for hours, vented on Facebook writing, “What the hell is going on? I’ve been in traffic for two hours just trying to get to Gulshan from Bashundhara. This is insane.”
Many vehicles diverted through Shyamoli to avoid the main road during the protest. However, the protesting rickshaw drivers allowed students and ambulances carrying patients to pass.
The protesters claim the HC order jeopardises their livelihood.
Suman Mia, one of the rickshaw drivers at the protest, said, “We haven’t been able to run our vehicles for two days. We don’t want to use the VIP roads or main streets, but they could at least allow us to operate on the other roads. I bought this vehicle with a loan. The installment is due on 2 December. How will I pay for it?”
One of the protesting drivers near Mohakhali said, “We don’t want to block the roads, but what other choice do we have? This order means we’ll lose everything.”
Another protester echoed, “We understand the public is suffering, but we’re fighting to survive.”
On Tuesday (19 November), the High Court directed authorities to impose restrictions or stop battery-run autorickshaws in Dhaka city streets within three days.
On the same night a student of Jahangirnagar University, Afsana Karim was killed in an accident involving a battery-run autorickshaw, which later sparked protests among students.
As the blockades persist, questions loom over the city’s preparedness to handle such situations and ensure smooth public mobility amid recurring protests.
As of this afternoon, the streets of Dhaka remain a battleground between survival and public suffering.
