There aren’t any legal guidelines governing the standard electrical rickshaw, or e-rickshaw, in Bangladesh. But, they’re all over the place, and their presence has develop into extremely contentious.
E-rickshaws started showing within the nation within the late-2000s, when native innovators retrofitted typical cycle rickshaws with imported Chinese language electrical motors and lead-acid batteries.
In a single key respect, they observe the legacy of conventional pedal-powered rickshaws, which reportedly first appeared in Bangladesh as early as 1919, and have been a number one type of transport for the reason that Nineteen Sixties. Like their predecessors, most e-rickshaws aren’t formally registered.
This lack of official standing places e-rickshaws in a precarious place, however makes an attempt to alter issues have backfired. In 2014, the Excessive Courtroom rejected petitions from 5 rickshaw proprietor associations to legalise their automobiles, successfully banning their use in two main cities. This did little to discourage their unfold. In 2021, the federal government issued a nationwide ban to enhance street security, nevertheless it was shortly deserted after protests by rickshaw associations.
The identical factor occurred in Could 2024, when the then minister for street transport and bridges, Obiadul Quader, ordered the removing of all e-rickshaws from the capital Dhaka, citing security considerations. Going through widespread protests, the choice was reversed inside days, though e-rickshaws stay banned from state highways.
Regardless of these common makes an attempt to ban e-rickshaws, the federal government stance has not been constant. In February 2024, Nasrul Hamid, then state minister for energy, power and mineral sources, referred to as the e-rickshaw the “Tesla of Bangladesh”.
He praised the ingenuity of these making the automobiles, suggesting there have been 4 million e-rickshaws within the nation. Compared, the US, with twice the inhabitants, had solely 3.5 million electrical automobiles in 2023.
The matter of e-rickshaws stays unresolved following the collapse of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s authorities in August 2024. On November 21, the Excessive Courtroom gave the authorities three days to cease the operation of e-rickshaws in Dhaka, resulting in renewed protests till the Supreme Courtroom stayed the order 4 days later.