No battery-run rickshaws on major Dhaka roads: DNCC administrator

Battery-run rickshaws, popularly known as e-rickshaws, will no longer be allowed to operate on major city roads, said Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Mohammad Azaz.

The move is aimed at restoring order on the capital's roads and easing traffic congestion, Azaz said.

He made the announcement during a high-level meeting today, clarifying that only standard-model, approved e-rickshaws would be permitted to operate on internal streets.

"A high-level committee will be formed shortly to prepare policies and finalise the standard model for e-rickshaws," Azaz said while chairing the meeting.

The meeting, organised by DNCC, focused on reviewing the progress and determining the next steps regarding the development of a standard model and prototype for battery-run rickshaws.

During the meeting, representatives from the Bureau of Research, Testing and Consultation (BRTC) at Buet, under its E-Bike Project, presented their proposal for a new standardised, low-speed, three-wheeled e-rickshaw model, along with a system for type-approval and registration.

Among those present at the meeting were DNCC CEO Abu Saeed Md. Kamruzzaman, NDC, Chief Engineer Brig Gen Md. Moin Uddin, DNCC General Manager (Transport) Abdullah Al Masud, and several senior representatives of e-rickshaw manufacturing companies.