CNG drivers block Banani road for hours

A group of CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers blocked the road in front of the BRTA office in Banani for several hours yesterday, bringing traffic on the Uttara–Mohakhali route to a standstill and causing immense suffering for commuters.

The drivers, mostly from the outskirts of the city, were demanding permission to operate within Dhaka, where they are currently barred.

Russel Sarwar, officer-in-charge of Banani Police Station, told The Daily Star that a group of drivers from outside Dhaka gathered in front of the BRTA office in the morning and blocked the road. Vehicular movement in both directions -- from Uttara to Mohakhali and Mohakhali to Uttara -- was halted.

Outbound traffic from Mohakhali to Uttara resumed later in the afternoon, using the opposite lane, he added.

During the blockade, vehicles heading towards Mohakhali or central Dhaka from Uttara were diverted through Kakoli–Gulshan-2–Gulshan-1–Amtoli or Gulshan-1–Police Plaza routes.

The elevated expressway remained open for outbound travel and was also accessible for vehicles moving from Uttara to Tejgaon or Hatirjheel.

Additional police forces were deployed in the area to manage the situation and ensure public safety.

The OC said protesters freed the road around 6:30pm.