Flaws in rickshaw design

Lately, there are heated public debates about electric rickshaws: should these be allowed in Dhaka city or not?  Plying of cycle rickshaws on the main roads in the city is also under scrutiny. Amid the hullabaloo a most important issue--- their design flaws--- escapes notice. Let alone the electric contraptions, the designs of the pedalling version too are fatally defective. The three-wheelers of both versions pose risks to passengers, operators, and the city at large. How such flawed designs managed to secure permission and licence from the authorities concerned is a big question. 

Rickshaws have become an integral part in Dhaka's transportation ecosystem as millions of people take the vehicles to travel to their destinations every day in this city of gravely poor public transport system. They provide mobility for city dwellers, particularly in areas inaccessible to larger vehicles. The vehicles are also a source of livelihood for thousands of drivers and owners. According to official data, there were approximately a little over 220,000 officially licensed cycle rickshaws in Dhaka as of 2024 while the number of unlicensed cycle rickshaws and electric rickshaws plying the city roads would be several times the licensed ones.

Cycle rickshaws were never illegal in Dhaka city but they were restricted to move on certain roads. Electric rickshaws were, however, officially banned on roads in the capital since the beginning of their arrival from abroad in the early 2010s, but they would still operate. Subsequently, the authorities made two other attempts to send the vehicles completely off the roads - in 2021 and 2024 - but backtracked amid protest. After the July-August uprising, both types of rickshaws started plying anywhere they wished in the city.

Both types of rickshaws exhibit numerous design flaws that pose risks to passengers, operators, and the city. Most cycle rickshaws in Dhaka are locally made with no or little adherence to standardised safety protocols. The rough construction often makes passengers prone to tipping over, especially when navigating uneven roads or carrying heavy loads as vehicles' seats are narrow and poorly cushioned with minimal back support. The lack of safety measures makes passengers vulnerable to injuries during sudden stops or collisions. The poor canopies of the vehicles provide inadequate protection against heavy rain, strong winds, or scorching heat while the loose polythene sheets passengers are provided for protection against rain are dirty, infested with bacteria or other pathogens which put passengers at risk of infection. The design of cycle rickshaws puts immense physical strain on drivers too. The seating position, pedal mechanics, and overall layout are not optimised for prolonged use, leading to chronic health issues among pullers.

On the other hand, electric rickshaws, often referred to as 'easy bikes', have earned notoriety for their design flaws. They are frequently modified to accommodate more passengers than their original design permits, compromising their structural integrity and increasing the risk of accidents. The structural designs of locally made e-rickshaws are even worse as most engineering workshops building them lack the basic standard knowledge of vehicle making. The braking systems for electric rickshaws are often subpar. Additionally, the lack of advanced control mechanisms makes it difficult for drivers to navigate crowded streets safely. The batteries the vehicles use pose serious environmental and safety risks, including the potential for acid leaks and electrical fires.

A decision on whether e-rickshaws would be allowed to operate in the city is pending with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. We do not know what decision will come from the court. If the Appellate Division upholds the High Court Division that banned the vehicles on city roads, they are not going to be dumped, they will still ply outside the city. So the design defects of e-rickshaws as well as of cycle rickshaws need to be fixed to provide passengers a safe and comfortable travel.

The authorities should introduce standardised guidelines for construction of rickshaws and make the manufacturers adhere to the standards through regular inspections aimed at ensuring that the vehicles are safe. Unless the design defects are corrected, the vehicles will be posing risk of accidents to those they will serve.

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