Man sets his bike on fire protesting alleged police harassment

The driver of a ride-sharing platform has set his own motorcycle on fire to protest what he said was police harassment. 

The video of the incident that took place in Badda Link Road area in the capital on Monday morning, has gone viral on social media sites. 

The biker, Shawkat Ali, was waiting for a passenger on Badda Link Road around 9am on Monday. At that time, the traffic sergeant came and took his papers.

Shawkat wanted the papers back and requested the sergeant not to file a lawsuit against his bike.

Being refused to get the papers back, he got disappointed and at one stage set his bike on fire.

Shawkat Ali was affording his family running a small shop. But the shop was closed due to Covid pandemic. So he was forced to run his family by working with the ride-sharing service for several months, as reported in daily Prothom Alo.

Police claimed that despite taking the documents, they did not file any case against Shawkat Ali's motorcycle. He set fire to the motorcycle before filing any case.

Robiul Islam, deputy commissioner of Gulshan Traffic Division, said, "Traffic jam creates on Link Road in Gulshan during office hours. Motorcycles are parked on the side of the road in such a way that it creates obstacles for the movement of vehicles. So the police sergeant on duty took the papers of the motorcyclists. Although some cases were filed, no case was filed against Shawkat Ali's motorcycle. He set the bike on fire before filing any case."

Later, police doused the fire, he added. 

The driver has also been brought to the police station for quizzing, the OC said further.