The cost, fall-out of battery-run vehicle boom (Part I)

A capital is more than a city; it is a nation's face, conscience and the clearest expression of its identity. Dhaka, the heart of Bangladesh, now bears the scars of mounting disorder. Nothing illustrates this more starkly than the unchecked spread of battery-powered auto-rickshaws, which project a poor image of the country while choking the capital's roads with chronic congestion. Once confined to narrow lanes, these locally assembled vehicles, built from imported motors and heavy batteries, have increasingly occupied Dhaka's main roads during the last two years. Although prohibited under the Road Transport Act, 2018, millions of unregistered battery-powered rickshaws now operate across the country, underscoring the need for the government to enforce the law and restore order on the capital's streets.

No one knows exactly how many battery-powered auto-rickshaws are operating in Bangladesh, but every available estimate points to the same reality - their numbers have grown far beyond official control.

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) estimates there are around six million battery-powered auto-rickshaws nationwide, about 90 per cent of them assembled locally. Finance Ministry officials believe the actual number is closer to 10 million. In Dhaka alone, the Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association estimates around two million such vehicles, while another study puts the figure at 1.3 million. The differing estimates all point to the absence of a comprehensive registration system for the illegal vehicles.

Urban planners warn that the rapid expansion of these three-wheelers is reshaping the capital's transport system in ways that are  becoming increasingly difficult to manage.

Professor Dr M. Shamsul Haque of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) said Dhaka simply does not have enough road space to accommodate the growing number of small vehicles.

"Cities around the world are investing in larger and more sustainable public transport, while Dhaka is surrendering its limited road space to countless small, unregulated vehicles," he said, noting that such battery-powered auto-rickshaws are virtually unknown elsewhere. Referring to Kolkata's removal of rickshaws nearly two decades ago, he asked, "Why can't we?"

The battery-powered auto-rickshaw first appeared in Bangladesh after Chinese-made Easy Bikes were imported around 2003. Local assembly began in 2012-13, and for years the vehicles mostly operated on neighbourhood roads, venturing onto main roads only at night.

Their rapid expansion began after the August 5, 2024 mass uprising, when the temporary absence of traffic police enabled them to spread across most of Dhaka's major roads.

Legally, however, the vehicles have remained in a grey area. The Road Transport Act, 2018 prohibits battery-powered three-wheelers, while non-conventional vehicles have long been barred from highways. A government order issued in 2015 also prohibited them from operating on Dhaka's main roads and 23 national highways.

A renewed restriction imposed on May 15, 2024 lasted only five days before protests by drivers prompted the then government to allow the vehicles on roads other than the main carriageways. A subsequent High Court order directing their removal within three days was later stayed by the Chamber Court for one month, and enforcement gradually faded.

The industry's growth has been fuelled by a legal contradiction. Importing motors, batteries and other components and assembling the vehicles is permitted, even though operating the finished product on public roads is prohibited.

Most components, including motors, controllers, horns and brake systems, are imported from China before being assembled in workshops across Mohammadpur, Basila, Keraniganj, Beribandh, Old Dhaka, Jatrabari, Mugda, Manda and Mirpur.

Noman Auto owner Tayyab Hossain said it costs between Tk 70,000 and Tk 72,000 to build a battery-powered auto-rickshaw, generating a profit of Tk 5,000 to Tk 6,000 per vehicle.

Depending on the source, between 400 and 500, or as many as 2,000, new battery-powered auto-rickshaws enter Dhaka's roads every day.

Transport experts say enforcement has long been undermined by political influence.

For years, former Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader maintained that influential political figures protected the illegal three-wheelers, allowing them to continue operating through a network involving owners, drivers, police and political actors.

Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association Secretary General Md Mozammel Haque Chowdhury said the issue receives limited public attention because relatively few deaths occur in individual crashes.

"The accidents rarely become major headlines, even though they happen regularly," he said.

The business has also become financially attractive. A battery-powered auto-rickshaw costs around Tk 80,000 to Tk 90,000 and can generate about Tk 500 a day in rental income. Owners operating fleets can earn returns that exceed many conventional investments.

For drivers, however, the vehicles represent a livelihood.

Sultan Mia, a pedal-rickshaw puller, said the spread of battery-powered auto-rickshaws has significantly reduced his income and expressed hope that licensed hydraulic BRAC rickshaws could restore some balance.

Others said they entered the trade out of necessity. Halim Molla said he migrated from his village because of unreliable electricity and now depends on auto-rickshaw driving for survival. Asif Mia left a security job paying Tk 12,000 a month after August 2024 and now earns between Tk 1,000 and Tk 1,200 a day despite working longer hours.

Government messages on the issue have often been inconsistent.

In February 2024, responding to calls in Parliament for action against battery-powered auto-rickshaws, then State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid described the country's roughly four million three-wheelers as the "Tesla of Bengal". Meanwhile, road transport authorities alternated between proposing restrictions and praising the vehicles.

The interim administration also sent mixed signals. While one home affairs adviser called for stricter control, the Dhaka North City administration, in collaboration with BUET, unveiled a new auto-rickshaw model.

BUET's Kazi Md. Saifun Newaz said conflicting positions within government had allowed the vehicles to continue operating.

"Some are strict, while others are in favour of autos. That is why they are getting indulgence," he said, adding, "Battery-powered auto-rickshaws must be banned without any ifs or buts."

Behind the continuing expansion also lies a broader social reality. Field surveys suggest that more than 4,000 people migrate to Dhaka every day.

 With formal employment opportunities limited, many have turned to driving battery-powered auto-rickshaws for a living.

A Civic Foundation survey covering 35 police stations found that many drivers had switched from other occupations in search of higher and more independent earnings.