How to stop battery-operated rickshaws from causing new problems on Dhaka's roads

“If we have the means to reduce physical labor, shouldn’t we embrace it”

Originally published on Global Voices

Traffic congestion is a longstanding issue in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Every day, 8.2 million working hours are lost due to traffic jams. Over the past decade and a half, the average speed of vehicles on Dhaka's roads has dropped significantly — from 21 kmph in 2007 to just 4.8 kmph today.

Battery-powered three-wheeler rickshaws, commonly known as easy bikes or auto-rickshaws, have become a new challenge in an already congested city like Dhaka. In May this year, the government imposed a ban on these vehicles, which were already restricted from operating on major highways across the country. However, following the political upheaval in August 2024 — when the student-led public uprising evolved into a non-cooperation movement, leading to the toppling of the Sheikh Hasina government — the number of battery-powered rickshaws in Dhaka surged dramatically. These rickshaws now dominate the streets, from narrow alleys to main roads in major cities across Bangladesh, despite lacking official approval to operate on main roads.

A major issue with these rickshaws is the prevalence of untrained drivers, who don't require a license, and, coupled with reckless speeds, they have significantly increased the number of accidents. In November 2024, a student from Jahangirnagar University tragically lost her life in a hit-and-run incident involving a battery-powered rickshaw. In response to the growing concerns, the Dhaka High Court issued an directive on November 19, 2024, to halt the operation of battery-powered rickshaws within the Dhaka metropolitan area.

Following the High Court's directive, rickshaw drivers organized protests, demanding licenses and route permits as part of an 11-point agenda. In the face of mounting pressure from their movement, on November 25, 2024, the Supreme Court granted a one-month stay on the high court’s order to stop the battery-rickshaw operations. As a result, the legal obstacle to their continued operation was temporarily lifted.

This YouTube video shows different variations of battery-powered rickshaws:

How are these rickshaws responsible for accidents and traffic congestion?

The exact number of battery-powered rickshaws operating in Dhaka is uncertain. However, estimates suggest there are around 400,000 of these vehicles across the country. Since 2009–2010, battery-powered rickshaws have been appearing uncontrollably on the roads of rural and semi-urban areas of Bangladesh, with their numbers growing significantly over time. The electricity required to charge their batteries further strains the country’s energy supply.

Battery-powered rickshaws combine the traditional design of pedal-powered rickshaws with electric motor technology. They are often manufactured in local workshops by attaching a motor powered by lead-acid batteries to a pedal-powered rickshaw and modifying its structure. With these batteries, the rickshaw can travel between 80 and 120 km per charge, depending on passenger weight, terrain, and speed. Initially, these rickshaws used 600W motors, enabling speeds of 20–25 kmph. However, as demand for faster vehicles grew, 800W and 1200W motors became more common, increasing speeds to as much as 40 kmph but also raising the risk of accidents.

The primary cause of accidents involving these vehicles is their inadequate braking systems. Most battery-powered rickshaws use U-brakes, which are highly ineffective. At a relatively high speed, drivers often lose control, which leads to collisions and other accidents.

According to the Accident Research Institute of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), 900 accidents caused by battery-powered three-wheeled vehicles were reported across the country between January and October of this year.

Meanwhile, Abdul Kuddus, General Secretary of the Rickshaw-Van-Easybike Association, disputes the claim that battery-powered rickshaws contribute to Dhaka's traffic congestion. Instead, he attributes the city’s traffic issues to the large number of private cars:

একটি আদর্শ নগরে ২৫ শতাংশ সড়ক থাকতে হয়, কিন্তু ঢাকা মহানগরীতে আছে মাত্র ৮ শতাংশ। যার ৭৫ শতাংশই দখল করে আছে ব্যক্তি মালিকানাধীন গাড়ি। ফলে নগরীর যানজটের প্রধান কারণ হচ্ছে অপরিকল্পিত নগরায়ণ ও ব্যক্তিগত গাড়ি।

An ideal city should allocate 25 percent of its area to roads, but Dhaka has only 8 percent dedicated to its road network. Of this limited space, 75 percent is occupied by privately owned vehicles. Consequently, the primary causes of traffic congestion in the city are unplanned urbanization and the proliferation of private cars.

However, battery-powered rickshaws remain popular because they generate higher income compared to pedal-powered rickshaws. Nurunnabi Chowdhury, a contributor to Global Voices Bangla, shared a comparative analysis of the expenses and income associated with pedal-powered and battery-powered rickshaws on his X (formerly Twitter) handle:

Despite higher manufacturing and maintenance cost, rickshaw-pullers prefer battery-run auto-rickshaws over traditional pedal rickshaws. And it is mostly because of the higher and faster returns on investment. #AutoRickshaw pic.twitter.com/pqICJEk8g6

— Nurunnaby Chowdhury (@nhasive) November 22, 2024

Over the past decade and a half, the employment situation in Bangladesh has been dismal compared to the optimistic narratives of growth and development. Slow growth in domestic and foreign investment, coupled with increasing corruption and capital flight, has worsened the unemployment rate and hindered job creation. Employment in agriculture, a major sector in Bangladesh, has also been steadily declining. Additionally, government-owned jute mills and sugar mills across the country have been shutting down one after another.

Frustrated by unemployment, many rural people are migrating to urban areas in search of work. Struggling to survive, they engage in various activities, from setting up shops on sidewalks to driving battery-powered rickshaws, as noted by educator and researcher Maha Mirza on Facebook.

Repeated attempts to ban them have failed

This is not the first time efforts have been made to ban battery-powered rickshaws. However, these attempts have largely been unsuccessful due to the potential hardships they would impose on low-income individuals.

Public opinion on banning these rickshaws remains divided. Many support the idea but emphasize the need to provide alternative employment opportunities for the drivers first. Without such measures, there is concern that unemployed drivers might turn to petty theft or other crimes to survive. On the other hand, others argue that allowing such risky vehicles to operate in the name of livelihood compromises public safety.

An X (formerly Twitter) user named Nonsense suggests that in this age of technology, these vehicles should replace traditional pedal-powered rickshaws.

পায়ে টানা রিকশা নিষিদ্ধই কল্যাণরাষ্ট্রের সাথে যায়। ব্যাটারি-চালিত অটোরিকশা থাকাই স্বাভাবিক।
এই ২১ শতকেও, টেকনোলজির এত এত উন্নতির পরেও, ১টা মানুষ কেন ২/৩জনরে তার রিকশায় বসায়ে প্যাডেল মারবে?

গতরের খাটনি যদি কমানো সম্ভব হয়, আমরা কেন সেইটা করবো না?
প্রযুক্তি যদি মানুষের… pic.twitter.com/xSA4CEZxUw

— ননসেন্স্ (@karimbenezema) November 23, 2024

Banning pedal-powered rickshaws aligns with the principles of a welfare state, while adopting battery-powered rickshaws represents a natural progression.

In the 21st century, with remarkable technological advancements, why should a human being have to pedal a rickshaw carrying two or three passengers? If we have the means to reduce physical labor, shouldn’t we embrace it?

Technology exists to alleviate human suffering. If it fails to do so, then what is its purpose? Shouldn’t we, at the very least, make policy decisions aimed at reducing human hardship? For this reason, transitioning all rickshaws to battery power is a logical step.

However, this question are valid: Can safety be ensured for battery-powered rickshaws?

The answer is simple: it must be ensured. If motorcycles are allowed to operate despite safety concerns, why can’t these rickshaws be made safe for use?

Meanwhile, Redwan Bashar, in a Facebook post, suggested that if employment opportunities for marginalized people are ensured, the operation of these rickshaws will naturally decline.

The government has been considering establishing robust industry standards for manufacturing these vehicles, but no significant progress was made. Meanwhile, the association of drivers continues to demand proper licensing for these vehicles, while the Bangladesh Passengers’ Welfare Association has called for a policy to regulate the road permits of the battery-operated rickshaws and other small vehicles.

Written by পান্থ রহমান রেজা (Pantha) Translated by Rezwan · View original post [bn]