Auto-rickshaw drivers block Jamalpur-Tangail highway over persistent gas supply crisis

JAMALPUR — Hundreds of auto-rickshaw drivers staged a protest on the Jamalpur-Tangail highway on Thursday, blocking the key thoroughfare to demand a steady supply of compressed natural gas (CNG). The demonstration, which began at 6:00 a.m. in the bypass area, caused significant gridlock and disrupted public transport services for several hours.

The drivers ended their protest at approximately 11:30 a.m. following assurances from law enforcement officials that the fuel supply crisis would be addressed.

The unrest stemmed from a prolonged fuel shortage at the Javed Filling Station, the only facility in the district equipped to supply CNG to vehicles. Drivers reported that the station had been without gas since Wednesday night. Many operators waited in lines throughout the night, only to be turned away at dawn.

Protesters argued that the lack of fuel has crippled their ability to earn a living, leaving them unable to cover daily expenses, children’s education costs, or vehicle loan installments. In addition to demanding immediate restoration of supply, the drivers called for the establishment of a second filling station in the area to prevent future bottlenecks.

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Azgar Ali, an auto-rickshaw driver from the Mukundabari area, criticized the management of the filling station for failing to provide timely notice regarding the outages. He highlighted the inconsistency in service, noting that some drivers were able to secure gas while others were left stranded.

The blockade left numerous passengers traveling to Dhaka via Tangail stranded in buses for hours. While some commuters expressed sympathy for the drivers’ financial plight, others voiced frustration over the impact of the road closure on the general public.

Jamalpur Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Nazmus Sakib confirmed that the protest was driven by the severe gas shortage. He stated that police mediated the situation by speaking with the relevant authorities, which eventually prompted the drivers to clear the highway and resume traffic flow.