Misbah, who is also the organizing secretary of the drivers' association, was brought under police custody after taxis blocked the road, obstructed public transport, and interfered with police during the protest, police said.
Another taxi driver has been arrested last night for allegedly blocking the road and obstructing public transport during a protest in Hulhumale' on Wednesday night.
Misbah Shareef, 31, from Male', was arrested under a court order.
Misbah, who is also the organizing secretary of the drivers' association, was brought under police custody after taxis blocked the road, obstructed public transport, and interfered with police during the protest, police said.
Two other drivers are currently still in police custody for obstructing public traffic and blocking the road. Mohamed Shaamin, 39, from Male', and Ahmed Shabeen, 33, from Laamu atoll Dhanbidhoo, were remanded for five days by the lower court on Thursday pending investigation. However, their arrest has been appealed in High Court.
In addition to Shaamin and Shabeen, another taxi driver, Nooman Ahmed, 36, from Haa Dhaalu atoll Kumundhoo, was arrested on Wednesday night for blocking the road. However, the court released him on conditional bail.
Taxi drivers staged a protest in Hulhumale' on Wednesday against the government's plans to introduce a taxi line. During the protest, three drivers were arrested, and police towed 22 taxis that had blocked the road from Hulhumale' to Sinamale' Bridge. The vehicles were impounded for 30 days.
The drivers staged their protest by parking their cars in the middle of the highway and exiting their vehicles, causing severe traffic congestion and disrupting public transportation.
However, Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has stated that no work has yet begun on the government’s planned taxi line.
Taxi drivers say the government's involvement in the service will affect drivers as well as taxi centers and garages. Drivers, who are with the existing taxi fleet, are questioning their future, they also said.
Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen told the Economic Committee of the Parliament on 29th October that the government needs to intervene in the taxi service and take control of it by making rules and laws. If it is not done, the number of vehicles will go to the point where the city is “overflowing” while safety has already been compromised, he said.
However, Ameen said taxi drivers would not be harmed even if the services were handed over to a government-owned company to provide better taxi services.
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