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The electric vehicle registration and operational guideline has been made effective to reduce reliance on fuel guzzlers with an eye to meeting the government's low carbon-emission target by 2030.
The 'Electric Vehicle Registration and Operation Policy 2023' took effect following a gazette published on Tuesday.
It allows registration of all motorised vehicles, including car, bus, truck and motorcycle, to be run by electric motors legally in the country.
But rickshaws, rickshaw-vans and bicycles, which are often found running by electric battery, will not be considered EVs, according to the gazette.
The policy, approved by the President on February 23 and notified on April 04, has a target to convert at least 30 per cent vehicles into EVs by 2030.
The government is committed to cutting carbon emissions in the transport sector by 3.4-million tonnes.
The Road Transport and Highways Division started drafting the policy three to four years back failing to control battery-run vehicles without maintaining any standard specification.
Bangladesh has witnessed increased road crashes over the years because of battery-run vehicles.
In the meantime, the Electric Vehicle Charging Guideline-2022 was also formulated.
Although the policy guided to register EVs following the same rules of engine vehicles, it has given priority to EVs in getting registration by the authorities concerned.
It also guided the National Board of Revenue and relevant government agencies to announce incentive for EV importers and manufacturers to popularise the use of such vehicles.
The Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) has already planned to buy 300 EVs to add to its fleet.
The first consignment is likely to arrive this year.
The EVs having international verification number and chassis number will have to demolish after the end of economic life.
The economic life of commercially run vehicles will be fixed by the government.
The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) will be responsible for registering local EV manufacturers, production and assembly.
smunima@yahoo.com