NN Online:
The High Court (HC) has ordered a ban on battery-powered rickshaws in the Dhaka metropolitan area within three days. The directive was issued on Tuesday by a High Court bench comprising Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Mahmudur Raji.
The number of battery-powered rickshaws has surged at an alarming rate across the capital and the country. These vehicles have disrupted Dhaka’s traffic system on roads. Their unregulated movement and risky nature have become a significant concern. The increasing presence of battery-powered rickshaws is also causing obstacles for other vehicles on the roads.
According to the “Dhaka Auto-Rickshaw Workers’ Union,” at least 8,00,000 battery-powered rickshaws are currently operating on the roads. However, transport experts estimate the actual number exceeds 2 million.
Despite lacking permission to operate on main roads, these unauthorised vehicles dictate the streets. Over the past two months, law enforcement has taken action against more than 1,00,000 battery-powered rickshaws.
