Jamaat denies Porwar owning 700 battery-run rickshaws

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan Milton has alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar owns 700 battery-run rickshaws, after criticising a political leader's call for the government to meet battery-powered battery-run rickshaw drivers' demands.

The allegation triggered a strong response from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, which rejected the claim as false and demanded that the DNCC administrator produce verifiable evidence or withdraw his statement and publicly apologise.

Milton made the allegation while speaking to journalists on Friday morning at Mirpur-10 in the capital, following the inauguration of a July uprising graffiti restoration initiative on metro rail pillars.

He questioned the rationale behind demands to allow battery-powered rickshaws to operate on Dhaka's roads, saying it was contradictory for a political leader to advocate for the vehicles while allegedly having a personal business interest in them.

“After looking into the matter, we reportedly found that the leader owns 700 battery-run rickshaws,” Milton said, referring to the unidentified political leader without presenting supporting evidence in his public remarks.

He also said the DNCC would take steps to clear footpaths across the capital and prevent illegal occupation of pedestrian spaces.

Milton urged business owners to ensure that shops and footpaths were not unlawfully occupied. He said damaged footpaths were being repaired and improved with greenery and other beautification measures to make them more attractive and pedestrian-friendly.

The DNCC administrator further alleged that a particular political party was encouraging street hawkers to engage in provocative activities. He warned that the corporation was prepared to work with residents to resist any attempt that went against the public interest.

In a statement sent to the media on Friday, Jamaat-e-Islami strongly protested Milton's allegation.

The statement was issued by the party's Assistant Secretary General and Secretary of its Central Publicity and Media Department, Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair.

Zubair said media reports suggested that Milton's remarks referred to Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar. He described the allegation as imaginary, untrue, baseless and fabricated.

He said the public expected a responsible government official to make statements based on reliable information and maintain appropriate standards of conduct.

“Before making such a serious allegation about a senior political leader, the DNCC administrator must present specific and reliable evidence,” Zubair said, according to the statement.

He argued that issues involving battery-run rickshaw operations, traffic congestion, road discipline and drivers' livelihoods should be addressed based on facts, practical solutions and the public interest rather than through unsubstantiated personal allegations against political leaders.

Zubair called on Milton to make the evidence supporting his claim public. If he failed to substantiate the allegation, the administrator should withdraw his remarks and publicly express regret, he added.