E-rickshaw rules may deepen existing crisis
Collected Photo
Although new regulations have been introduced to control the movement of battery-powered rickshaws, or e-rickshaws, several important issues remain unclear. These include drivers’ qualifications, training, penalties and the areas where the vehicles will be allowed to operate. There is also a lack of coordination with existing laws and policies. The Road Safety Movement fears that instead of resolving the ongoing crisis over e-rickshaws, the new regulations could further increase disorder on the roads.
The organization expressed this concern in a statement on Saturday, highlighting several inconsistencies in the recently published Battery-Powered Rickshaw (E-Rickshaw) Movement Regulations, 2026.
The statement said Sub-rule 4(1) of the regulations states that the minimum age for drivers is “under 18 years” instead of setting it at 18 years. This is a serious inconsistency in the regulations.
Meanwhile, although the regulations allow a maximum of five e-rickshaws to be registered under the name of a single national identity card holder, they do not clearly specify how drivers’ qualifications will be verified. Rule 10 mentions training but does not make it mandatory. As a result, people may still be able to operate e-rickshaws without the necessary skills.
The organization alleged that Rule 19 provides for action against violations of speed limits and the operation of unregistered e-rickshaws but does not specify which sections of which laws would apply or what penalties would be imposed.
There are also no clear instructions on effective measures against indiscriminate disposal or burning of old batteries, dismantling batteries without authorization or operating e-rickshaws outside designated zones.
The Road Safety Movement said that although the regulations provide for e-rickshaw registration through city corporations, they do not clarify how this system will be coordinated with the registration, driver licensing and fitness requirements of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) under the Road Transport Act, 2018.
It also said the new regulations need to be aligned with the Electric Motor Vehicle Registration and Movement Policy, 2023, and the Motor Vehicle Scrapping and Recycling Policy, 2026. Conflicting instructions regarding vehicle fitness, economic lifespan and the removal of unsafe vehicles from operation could create complications during implementation.
The regulations also fail to clearly specify which roads e-rickshaws will be allowed to use, which roads will be off-limits, who will determine routes and zones, and what action will be taken if vehicles operate outside designated areas.
There is also no specific plan regarding passenger fares, charging and parking management, or the timeframe for removing vehicles that fail to meet safety standards from operation.
Road Safety Movement President Abdullah Mehedi Dipto said the regulations on e-rickshaw control fail to clearly address crucial issues such as drivers’ qualifications, mandatory training and penalties for violating rules.
“The purpose of regulations should be to ensure practical solutions. If regulations are introduced with ambiguities, the problems will not be resolved. Instead, new problems will emerge,” he said.
The organization’s General Secretary Md. Inzam ul Haque said that simply introducing a registration system would not be enough to stop illegal and uncontrolled e-rickshaw operations on major roads. An effective monitoring and supervision system is also necessary.
He said adding QR codes to e-rickshaws alone would not make them an effective monitoring tool.
The Road Safety Movement has called for mandatory licenses and training for e-rickshaw drivers. It also demanded that authorities establish vehicle safety standards, registration and fitness inspections, designated routes and zones, charging and parking locations, and a timeframe for removing unsafe vehicles from operation.
At the same time, it called for correcting inconsistencies and ambiguities in the regulations through coordination with existing laws and policies.
According to the organization, effective regulations must go beyond vehicle registration and take an integrated approach to drivers, vehicles, road infrastructure and traffic management.
