The Rickshaw, Battery-powered Rickshaw-Van and Easybike Chalak Sangram Parishad has fixed a week to address the issue of license and route permit policy along with the review of the High Court's order to stop the operation of battery-powered rickshaws in Dhaka city.

Otherwise, the organization has announced to hold a rally in 64 districts of the country in solidarity with the battery-powered rickshaw drivers of Dhaka on November 30.

Khalekuzzaman Lipon, convener of the organization, announced the new program with an ultimatum from a rally organized by the organization's Dhaka metropolitan branch in front of the National Press Club on Saturday.

He said that a Supreme Court ruling to prevent battery-powered autorickshaws from plying on highways is still upheld. Still, how the High Court ruled to ban battery-powered rickshaws? As a result of the judgment of the Supreme Court, the judgment of the High Court is nullified.

In April 2022, the Appellate Division ordered that battery-powered three-wheelers cannot ply on highways. As a result, these vehicles are allowed to ply on all roads other than highways.

Last Tuesday, the order came from the High Court to stop battery-powered rickshaws in Dhaka metropolitan area within three days.

A High Court bench of Justice Fatema Najeeb and Justice Mahmudur Razi passed the order after preliminary hearing of a writ petition filed by the pedal rickshaw association.

The next day, the rickshaw drivers protested by blocking the Dayaganj junction of the capital demanding the continuation of battery operated rickshaws on the roads of Dhaka.

Battery-powered rickshaw drivers protested by blocking roads and railways in Dhaka's Mohakhali on Thursday, blocking roads in Mirpur, Malibagh, Mohammadpur, Gabtali, Agargaon, Nakhalpara, Rampura, Khilgaon and other areas.

Last Friday, there was a clash with the police over the protest of rickshaw drivers blocking the road and railway in Jurain, Dhaka.

In such a situation, recalling the judgment given by the Supreme Court of the country, the High Court has given a seven-day ultimatum to solve the problem along with the review of the judgment of the High Court.

The convenor of the organization said that the organization has been continuing the movement for 12 years demanding a policy and modernizing it, giving license to battery operated rickshaw drivers, route permit and separate lanes on the road.

Khalekuzzaman Lipon said, we were informed by letter from BRTA on July 6 - our claim is being handled logically. On October 24, we were informed that the policy has been finalized.

He said, 'When we are in despair, an association of pedal rickshaw pullers wrote. There can be no writ by kicking in the stomach.'

Addressing the government, the convenor of the organization said, you make a policy and give license, registration and route permit. When it comes to licenses and root permits, security comes into play. So finalize the policy immediately within 7 days.

Khalekuzzaman Lipon said, we don't want to take the highway. Byline service. We are patiently agitating, we have not done it all over the country yet. Around 6 million battery-operated rickshaws across the country depend on the livelihood of 3 crore people. So be careful. He immediately removed the bureaucratic complications and arranged to issue licenses in the light of the Supreme Court's verdict.

Recalling the contribution of battery-operated rickshaw drivers in the July-August uprising, he said that during the 36-day movement, they risked their lives to transport the injured and the dead. Because of this, one of our brothers was shot and beheaded in Uttara. Of the 1,481 people who died in the coup, twenty-two were students. The rest are laborers, including rickshaw pullers.

Terming battery-powered auto-rickshaws as 'eco-friendly', Khalekuzzaman said that if 60 lakh rickshaws are licensed and registered, 10,000 crores of cash will come in a month. So will you include me in the revenue, or exclude me?

On Friday night, he raised the question, "Who did the attack?"

In the rally, Samajtantrik Sramik Front General Secretary Ahsan Habib Bulbul said, after the Supreme Court's verdict, the only way is to review. The High Court has no jurisdiction to overrule the judgment of the Supreme Court. It is considered void. Those who filed the so-called writ in the High Court, may have a conspiracy behind creating instability.

After this order of the High Court, when the workers are protesting, they are using force instead of taking action to remove them from the streets through negotiation. You are also walking the same path by talking about fascism.

Requesting battery-powered rickshaw pullers to stay off the main roads until the policy and registration are confirmed, he said, the organization will not return home until the rights are realized. Discipline means that oppression will not be tolerated. I can break the hand that oppresses.

President of Samajtantrik Chhatra Front (Basad) Mukta Barai said to the government, if you cannot find food, give work - in no way they have the right to evict the arrangement they have made.

Afzal Hossain, a rickshaw worker leader, said, "If you provide us with employment, we will no longer drive rickshaws." Don't stop rickshaws without employment.