Bikers to halt ride sharing on Tuesday to protest police harassment

The Dhaka Ridesharing Drivers Union (DRDU), an app-based drivers' group, called for a daylong work stoppage on Tuesday with a six-point demand charter.

DRDU General Secretary Belal Ahmed confirmed the matter, according to a Dhaka Tribune report.

Referring to a recent incident of a driver setting his own motorcycle on fire in Badda, Belal Ahmed said, "This is very tragic that a driver had to torch his own motorcycle because of police harassment." 

"We have previously informed the authorities about our problems several times, yet no action was taken to resolve the issues," he said.

The protesters' six-point demands include recognition of ridesharing workers and setting a 10% commission on all types of rides.

The workers demanded an end to all kinds of police harassment and asked the authorities to refrain from rendering drivers unemployed on fake charges or excuses.

The protesters also sought designated parking space for ride-sharing vehicles in Dhaka and Sylhet and no advance income tax (AIT) on all registered ride-sharing vehicles.

They demanded all ride-sharing vehicles that were AIT listed last year and were seized by police for non-payment of AIT should be returned to their owners.

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

The video of the incident that took place on the Badda Link Road area in the capital on Monday morning, when a ride-sharing driver set his motorcycle on fire, has gone viral on social media sites. 

In the video, the driver was venting his anger when police stopped him and asked for vehicle documents for breaching traffic rules. The rider got agitated in a heated argument with the police and ended up setting his bike on fire.