Government bars battery rickshaws from highways, expressways

The government has issued a new set of rules for e-rickshaw operations in all city corporations, making registration and licensing mandatory for their operation in Dhaka and other city corporation areas.

The 12-page rules, issued by the Local Government Division on Thursday and effective immediately, bar unlicensed battery-powered rickshaws and restrict them from using national highways, expressways, elevated expressways, major bus corridors and footpaths.

The new rules come amid growing public safety concerns and are aimed at reining in the unregulated movement of battery-powered rickshaws.

Under the guidelines, owners can register up to five e-rickshaws against a single national identity card. Registrations will be valid for five years, carry QR codes, and be issued within 30 working days. The vehicles will have a maximum lifespan of 12 years.

New e-rickshaws and modified existing ones must obtain fitness certificates countersigned by traffic authorities and comply with standards set by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).

Drivers must be at least 18 years old and may carry two or four passengers, depending on the vehicle type. The speed limit is set at 25 km/h, reduced to 15 km/h near schools and hospitals, while horn noise must not exceed 40 decibels.

City corporations and traffic police will set zone-based routes, colours and caps. The rules also require licensed solar-integrated charging stations, approved battery recycling and manufacturer licensing, while allowing bank loans.

Welcoming the initiative, urban planner Professor Adil Mohammed Khan criticised the five-vehicle registration cap for favouring commercial investors over marginal drivers and cited missing transition timelines, inner-road speed limits, and battery-disposal penalties.

Sources: The Business Standard, Prothom Alo