Stopping movement of illegal battery-operated vehicles urgent in capital

The streets of the capital Dhaka and across the country are now overrun with battery-operated rickshaws and easybikes. Yet the government has failed to remove these illegal and expired vehicles from the roads. Although in 2021 the High Court ordered a ban on 4 million battery-operated vehicles, and the interim government also took initiatives to enforce that ruling, these vehicles continue to operate in the city’s lanes and even on major roads, in violation of the court order. As a result, accidents and fatalities occur frequently, which is alarming for the country.

A study conducted by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) found that 20 percent of all road fatalities each year are caused by battery-operated vehicles. The question is, how are these illegal vehicles still running? Reports in various newspapers suggest that a group of unscrupulous individuals and powerful syndicates are behind their continued operation. Those involved include local political leaders, extortionists, and even some members of law enforcement agencies. Drivers of these illegal vehicles claim they regularly pay monthly bribes in exchange for tokens, allowing them to operate freely. We say the High Court directive must be implemented, and those responsible must be brought to justice so that illegal vehicles can be removed from the roads without delay.

From time to time, mobile courts in the capital conduct drives against these illegal auto-rickshaws. But the day after such drives, these vehicles are seen plying the streets again — which is unacceptable. The previous Awami League government also failed to resolve this issue. The present interim government has tried after assuming office, but it too has not made progress. Consequently, these vehicles continue to cause rising numbers of road accidents and deaths.

According to the non-governmental organisation Road Safety Foundation, 7,294 people were killed in road accidents in 2024. Among them, 2,609 died in motorcycle accidents, accounting for 35.77 percent of the total deaths. The second-highest fatalities — 1,723 people — were passengers of three-wheeled vehicles, making up 23.61 percent of the total.

Over the past decade, the practice of installing batteries in pedal-powered rickshaws has grown. Now, in Dhaka and other district towns, battery-operated rickshaws dominate the streets, while traditional pedal rickshaws have become rare.

Rickshaw pullers say that battery-powered vehicles reduce physical strain, allow faster travel, and earn them higher fares within the same time. However, the administration objects to this. Police often stop them, though when payments are made, the vehicles are allowed to operate.

Each easybike and auto-rickshaw contains multiple batteries, which are charged overnight. Users typically draw electricity from the national grid for this purpose. Experts therefore partly blame these vehicles for contributing to social-level electricity shortages. Stopping the movement of such vehicles would also save electricity. However, before doing so, the authorities must consider the livelihood of the working-class people dependent on them. Therefore, alternative employment opportunities must be created for those workers.