Registration for battery-operated rickshaws begins today in 13 cities

BanglaPress Desk: The registration process for battery-operated three-wheeled rickshaws begins today across 13 city corporations in the country. In the first phase, these vehicles will be brought under a formal legal framework.

Subsequently, drivers will be issued driving licenses in a phased manner. Regulations for this purpose have been formulated and published via a gazette notification.

According to the regulations, the registration fee for a rickshaw with a capacity of two passengers is 8,000 taka, with an annual renewal fee of 4,000 taka. For a rickshaw with a capacity of four passengers, the registration fee is 10,000 taka, and the renewal fee is 500 taka.

An e-rickshaw may operate for a maximum of 12 years. An additional fee of 1,000 taka is required for a fitness certificate that includes a QR code.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Mir Shahe Alam, stated that the registration process aims to bring order to e-rickshaws, which have long been operating without any regulation.

The State Minister noted that the rickshaws must be manufactured in accordance with designs approved by BUET (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology).

A seven-member committee has been formed for this purpose. Existing e-rickshaws must also be modified to align with the approved design specifications.

Operating without registration, carrying excess passengers, exceeding permitted speed limits, using unauthorized batteries, and disregarding traffic signals have been classified as offenses.

In Dhaka, there is a plan to divide the city into eight zones for e-rickshaw operations—four zones in each of the two city corporations. Each zone will be assigned a distinct color, and e-rickshaws registered in one zone will not be permitted to operate in another.