State moves to appeal ban on battery rickshaws in Dhaka

The state has moved to appeal the High Court’s decision to ban battery-powered rickshaws from the Dhaka metropolitan area.

The petition was filed at the relevant wing of the Appellate Division on Monday, according to Deputy Attorney General Noor Mohammad Azmi.

Earlier, the High Court bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi banned auto-rickshaws from operating on city streets, citing public safety concerns, based on a writ petition by the Pedal-run Rickshaw Association.

The home secretary, local government secretary, police chief, DMP commissioner, and the authorities of the two Dhaka city corporations were instructed to implement the decision.

The court also issued a rule asking why the authorities’ negligence in stopping the use of battery-run rickshaws should not be declared illegal.

“There are no licences for battery-run rickshaws, so they are completely illegal,” the court said.

The rickshaw drivers took to the streets in Dayaganj the following day to demand the ban be withdrawn.

Although these rickshaws have been widely used in rural and urban areas, their increasing numbers in Dhaka have caused more problems, including traffic congestion.

In April 2022, the Appellate Division ruled that these rickshaws would not be allowed on highways, although they were permitted to operate on other roads.

Earlier this year, during the Awami League government's tenure, an initiative to ban battery-powered rickshaws was introduced but was later dropped due to resistance from drivers.

Now, under the interim government, a similar initiative has led to five days of protests and clashes in the capital.