Dhaka: Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced today that the government plans to bring the burgeoning number of non-motorized battery autorickshaws under official registration in an effort to streamline the city’s traffic management system.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the home minister revealed that the unauthorized use of electricity for charging these battery-run autorickshaws is causing a significant revenue loss of approximately Taka 4,000 crore annually for the government. The statement was made in response to an emergency notice by BNP lawmaker Rehana Akhter Ranu at the Jatiya Sangsad, where Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal presided over the session.
The minister emphasized that the government has already developed a policy to register all non-motorized battery autorickshaws, enabling traffic authorities to track these vehicles. The rapid spread of battery-powered autorickshaws and similar vehicles has fostered non-formal economic activities and employment over the past decade. However, this growth poses challenges to electricity management, road safety, traffic congestion, environmental pollution, and public health.
Charging a large number of these vehicles simultaneously exerts pressure on local electricity distribution systems, leading to unauthorized commercial use of residential connections, overloading transformers and distribution lines, and increasing electricity demand during peak hours. These vehicles are reportedly consuming nearly 5% of the nation’s electricity supply.
In Dhaka city alone, there are about 3,300 legal charging stations, yet an overwhelming 48,000 illegal stations are operating, exacerbating the pressure on the national grid and local power distribution. The informal recycling of lead-acid batteries used by these vehicles has resulted in lead contamination, soil and water pollution, and health hazards, particularly for children and workers. The emissions from battery recycling contribute to severe air pollution, affecting nearby poultry farms.
Citing road accident statistics from 2025, Salahuddin Ahmed noted that battery-run autorickshaws were involved in 13.54% of the 6,729 accidents recorded, which resulted in 9,111 fatalities and 14,812 injuries. The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) estimates over 60 lakh battery-run rickshaws exist nationwide, with 10 to 12 lakh operating in Dhaka alone.
To address these issues, the Road Transport and Highways Division, under the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, has drafted the ‘Electric Three-Wheeler Management Policy 2025’. This policy mandates that all battery-operated three-wheelers be registered with the BRTA and that drivers hold valid licenses. The vehicles will be restricted to designated routes outside national highways, with different speed limits set for medium- and low-speed variants.
A passenger and goods transport committee, established under the Road Transport Act, will regulate the number of vehicles permitted in any given area. The policy aims to curb the uncontrolled growth of fitness-lacking battery-run rickshaws that have disrupted traffic systems nationwide.
The draft policy stipulates that one person may own up to three medium-speed and five low-speed rickshaws, all of which must be upgraded to safe models within a year. Medium-speed rickshaws will have a speed cap of 50 km/h, while low-speed rickshaws will be limited to 30 km/h. Vehicles must adhere to BRTA-approved designs, and only BSTI-approved parts and components will be permitted.
For operational compliance, all components, including motors, controllers, gearboxes, and brakes, must be BSTI-approved, and manufacturers must be registered with BIDA. Imported or locally assembled electric three-wheelers and parts require BRTA approval, and only new, BSTI-approved vehicles and parts may be imported.
Charging stations must adhere to the 2021 guidelines from the Power Division. BRTA will regulate fares, and manufacturers must be BRTA-listed. Vehicle owner and driver contact information must be visibly displayed for passengers. BRTA will also organize district-level driver training in collaboration with local transport committees.
The draft restricts electric three-wheelers from national highways, except on service lanes, and limits their operation to designated city, municipal, district, upazila, and union roads. Local transport committees will determine vehicle numbers and routes within these areas.
Penalties for policy violations will align with the Road Transport Act 2018, and legal action will be pursued against offenders. The policy timeline requires the conversion of unsafe low-speed vehicles to safe models within one year, after which non-compliant vehicles will face legal consequences. Additionally, the draft calls for phasing out unauthorized diesel and petrol-engine vehicles used in agriculture and waterways, to be replaced by approved alternatives.