Muyabia Labony; Dbarta24 Report – Despite repeated government pledges and sporadic crackdowns, authorities remain entirely undecided on how to manage the booming presence of battery-powered auto-rickshaws.
Exploiting this enduring regulatory void, these hazardous vehicles have multiplied at an unprecedented rate, increasing more than fivefold over the past seven to eight years to dominate both national highways and urban thoroughfares.
From the heart of the capital to the most remote rural roads, the unchecked proliferation of these vehicles highlights a massive administrative failure.
While policymakers debate over registration authorities, safety standards, and charging infrastructure, millions of new auto-rickshaws continue to flood the streets.
A Regulatory Stalemate
Efforts to rein in these vehicles during the previous interim government collapsed in the face of intense protests by drivers.
Consequently, the task of drafting a comprehensive policy was handed over to the Local Government Division (LGD).
However, even five months into the tenure of the new BNP-led government, visible progress remains nonexistent.
Currently, the draft policy aims to address crucial aspects, including registration, licensing authorities, designated routes, structural safety, and standardizing battery charging stations.
The LGD is spearheading this initiative in coordination with the two Dhaka City Corporations, the Road Transport and Highways Division, and the Home Ministry.
Yet, a glaring jurisdictional conflict threatens the initiative’s success. Under the Road Transport Act of 2018, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) holds the exclusive mandate for vehicle registration, fitness certification, and driver licensing.
With the LGD now drafting the regulatory framework, a tug-of-war over licensing authority and law enforcement responsibilities has emerged.
Staggering Statistics and Economic Drain
Because battery-powered auto-rickshaws do not fall under the BRTA’s 20 recognized vehicle categories, they operate entirely off the official grid, leaving the government without an accurate census.
However, available data paints an alarming picture of explosive growth:
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Massive Increase: According to the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (Passenger Welfare Association), the nationwide fleet stood at an estimated 1.5 to 1.6 million around 2018. Today, that number has swelled to approximately 8 million—with 2 million operating in Dhaka and 6 million outside the capital.
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Daily Ridership: A recent study by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) indicates that nearly 112 million passengers rely on these electric three-wheelers daily.
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Rampant Illegality: The CPD study reveals that a staggering 95% of these vehicles are completely unregistered.
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Power Drain: While 90% of the rickshaws are assembled locally, vital components like motors and chargers are imported from China. They consume roughly 750 megawatts of electricity daily—about 5% of the country’s total power generation.
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Revenue Loss: Dhaka has merely 3,300 authorized charging stations compared to an astonishing 48,136 illegal charging points, costing the government an estimated 40 billion BDT annually in lost revenue.
Helpless Authorities Await Direction
Local administrative bodies and law enforcement agencies claim their hands are tied until a formal policy is enacted.
Md. Mahbubur Rahman Talukder, General Manager (Transport, Additional Duty) of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), confirmed their participation in ministerial meetings but noted, “We have not yet received the final policy. Action will be taken once it is issued.”
He added that the DSCC has halted the renewal of traditional rickshaw licenses because they do not align with battery-powered variants.
Similarly, Md. Mehedi Hasan, Manager (Transport, Additional Duty) for the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), stated, “Without a policy, we cannot function effectively. Once the Local Government Ministry clarifies the control mechanisms, we will take necessary steps.”
Meanwhile, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) continues its daily battle on the streets. DMP Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Anisur Rahman noted that while policy progress is stagnant, enforcement continues. “We take action against 400 to 500 battery-powered auto-rickshaws daily. Thanks to our drives, their numbers on main thoroughfares have significantly dropped,” he stated.
Rising Death Toll and Expert Warnings
The proliferation of these unregulated vehicles correlates directly with a surge in fatal road accidents.
According to the Road Safety Foundation’s 2025 annual report, various three-wheelers, including battery-powered auto-rickshaws and easy bikes, were responsible for 1,376 deaths—accounting for 18.69% of all road crash fatalities.
Saidur Rahman, Executive Director of the Road Safety Foundation, pointed out a critical infrastructure flaw: “These slow-moving vehicles are plying highways that were simply not designed for them. A policy alone won’t suffice; we need driver training, registration, and dedicated service roads or underpasses.”
Experts argue that time is running out. Prof. Md. Hadiuzzaman, a transportation expert from BUET’s Civil Engineering Department, stressed the need for immediate intervention. “The government must act swiftly to stop new auto-rickshaws from entering the market while the policy is finalized,” he warned. “The policy must clearly define safety standards, technical specifications, permissible routes, and crucially, cap the maximum number of auto-rickshaws a single individual can own.”
As bureaucratic delays drag on, the uncontrolled influx of battery-powered auto-rickshaws continues to choke the nation’s streets, bleeding the power grid and claiming lives.
Until the government finalizes a unified policy and bridges the gap between drafting regulations and strict enforcement, true discipline on Bangladesh’s roads will remain an illusion.