Bangladesh: Auto-rickshaw drivers to strike Nov. 27-28

Event

On November 20, auto-rickshaw drivers in Dhaka and Chittagong announced that they plan to hold a series of protest actions in the coming weeks, beginning with a protest outside the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry in Dhaka on Wednesday, November 22.​ The drivers will also launch a 48-hour strike on Monday, November 27. The strike will reportedly affect around 5 percent of daily commuters in Dhaka.  An additional protest is planned for Sunday, December 10, in front of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority headquarters in Dhaka. Transportation disruptions should be expected on strike days and in the vicinity protests

Context

Auto-rickshaw drivers issued an eight-point list of demands to the Dhaka and Chittagong district governments, including calls to replace outdated vehicles and ban ride-sharing services such as Uber and Pathao. If their demands are not met by the government by January 15, 2018, the auto-rickshaw drivers intend to launch an indefinite strike.

Advice

Individuals in Dhaka and Chittagong are advised to avoid all demonstrations and rallies due to the risk of violence and to allow for extra time to reach their destinations.​​

More generally, due to a high risk of terrorism in Bangladesh, travelers are advised to exercise vigilance when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.) and report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities.