New Policy Aims to Regulate E-Rickshaws Across Bangladesh

A press conference regarding the control of electric rickshaws and a new regulatory policy was held on August 30 at the Secretariat in Dhaka. Mir Shahe Alam addressed journalists regarding the framework, which is currently in its final stages. Officials noted that the policy will soon be sent to the Ministry of Law for vetting, after which it is expected to be officially implemented within a week or the following week as quickly as possible. According to the statements provided, enforcing this policy through proper legal backing will bring electric rickshaws under a structured regulatory system.

Under the planned framework, the registration process will involve strict technical oversight and local administrative authority. Mir Shahe Alam explained that registration will not be granted without certification from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), engineering universities, or the automobile branch of district-level government polytechnic institutes, alongside fitness clearance from the traffic department. Furthermore, the actual registrations will be issued by city corporations and municipalities. Factories producing these vehicles must also be registered companies holding licenses from the relevant city corporation or municipality, operating according to designs approved by BUET.

To manage urban traffic congestion, the capital will be divided into specific operational sectors based on proposals from the traffic department. Specifically, Dhaka will be divided into a total of eight zones, comprising four zones in the north and four zones in the south. The approved electric rickshaws registered within these districts will feature eight distinct colors corresponding to the eight zones, and authorities will attempt to restrict vehicles from crossing over into unauthorized zones. Additionally, city corporations and traffic departments will sit together to determine the exact authorized routes for these vehicles to travel.

A major restriction under the new guidelines is that electric rickshaws will be strictly prohibited from operating on main roads. Instead, they will be confined to internal roads within their designated zones. The policy divides the operational framework into three distinct categories based on passenger capacity. In Dhaka city, registrations will exclusively be granted to electric rickshaws designed for two and four passengers, while vehicles carrying six passengers will not be brought under the Dhaka City Corporation registration purview. However, rural areas and district-level village roads will permit registrations for two, four, and six-passenger vehicles.

Charging infrastructure and energy sources for these vehicles are also heavily emphasized in the upcoming regulations. Point-of-charge garages and charging stations will be required to utilize solar power, with authorities attempting to mandate solar energy adoption in a phased manner. Additionally, operators of these charging points will be required to obtain licenses from the relevant city corporation if located within city corporation areas, or from the municipality if situated within municipal areas. Through these comprehensive measures, officials expressed confidence that the new policy will successfully bring much-needed control to the sector.