E-Rickshaw Registration Begins Monday in 13 Bangladesh City Corporations

Bangladesh will start e-rickshaw registration in 13 city corporation areas on Monday, 2 November, bringing battery-powered rickshaws under a formal set of rules. Owners will pay a one-time fee of Tk 8,000 to Tk 10,000, depending on how many passengers the vehicle carries, along with a yearly renewal charge.

Mir Shahe Alam, state minister for local government, rural development and cooperatives, set out the new rules while speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Sunday. He said battery rickshaws already on the roads will not be taken off the moment e-rickshaw registration opens, and urged owners and drivers not to panic. The drive will be rolled out in phases across the 13 city corporations.

A two-seat e-rickshaw will cost Tk 8,000 to register and Tk 4,000 a year to renew. A four-seat model will cost Tk 10,000, with a yearly renewal fee of Tk 5,000. One person may register up to five vehicles against a single national identity card, either in one city corporation or spread across several.

Every approved vehicle must carry a speedometer, and its top speed will be capped at 25 km per hour. Without registration, no e-rickshaw will be allowed on city corporation roads. Batteries may be charged only at approved charging stations, and anyone found using stolen or illegal power connections will face strict legal action. Breaking or recycling batteries will also need clearance from the Department of Environment.

The government also plans to fix zones, routes and separate colours for the vehicles, so that it is easy to see where each one is allowed to run. Through e-rickshaw registration, speed limits and controlled charging, it hopes to ease congestion and bring order to city streets now crowded with battery rickshaws.

Originally reported by Sarakhon.