As Dhaka rolls out AI-powered traffic surveillance and stricter enforcement against private vehicles, another transport reality continues almost unchecked on the same roads: thousands of battery-powered autorickshaws weaving through lanes, main roads and even highways, often in direct violation of traffic restrictions.
Traffic officials, city authorities and road safety experts now warn that the rapid and largely unregulated spread of battery-powered autorickshaws is emerging as one of the country’s growing road safety challenges, contributing to rising accidents, worsening congestion and increasing public frustration.
Although battery-powered rickshaws were originally meant to operate mainly on local roads, they are now visible across major arteries of the capital and on roads nationwide.
Their movement, combined with weak regulation and inconsistent enforcement, has intensified concerns over reckless driving, unsafe vehicle design and chaotic traffic conditions.
A senior traffic police official admitted authorities are struggling to regain control.
“Despite trying to restore order, we are not able to do this for battery rickshaws,” the official told Dhaka Tribune, expressing hope that a coordinated decision involving the Road Ministry, BRTA and city authorities could emerge after Eid.
The concerns are increasingly backed by accident statistics.
According to the Road Safety Foundation, Bangladesh recorded 576 road accidents in March alone, killing 532 people and injuring more than 2,200.
Of those killed, at least 117 died in accidents involving autorickshaws and similar three-wheeled vehicles.
Another report by the organization found that during the 15 days before and after Eid-ul-Fitr this year, three-wheelers accounted for more than 22% of all road accidents nationwide.
Beyond accidents, residents are increasingly complaining about reckless driving, dangerous vehicle structures and unsafe roadside charging systems.
Motorcyclist Kawsar Hossain said earlier pedal rickshaws were slower and more predictable, while battery-powered autorickshaws now move aggressively without regard for traffic discipline.
“They only care about speed,” he said, blaming the vehicles for increasing accidents and making roads more dangerous for bikers.
Others raised alarm over the growing practice of charging autorickshaws through exposed electrical connections on roadsides, sometimes even during rain.
Kamrul Islam, a resident of Mirpur, warned that such charging systems could trigger major accidents at any time.
The issue has become particularly sensitive because earlier attempts to restrict or ban battery-powered autorickshaws faced resistance from drivers and operators who rely on them for livelihoods.
Authorities later shifted toward a compromise approach involving regulated e-rickshaws designed according to specifications prepared by Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.
The interim government also launched limited driver training programs, though little visible impact has yet appeared on city roads.
Officials from Dhaka North City Corporation said prototype e-rickshaw models have already received technical approval after testing by Buet, but final decisions regarding large-scale rollout remain pending at the ministry level.
Around 20,000 drivers have reportedly received basic training so far.
Meanwhile, transport groups argue that the absence of a clear legal framework remains a central problem.
Khalequzzaman Lipon, convener of the Battery Rickshaw-Van and Easy Bike Sangram Parishad, said battery-powered vehicles must first be brought under licensing and registration systems before meaningful enforcement becomes possible.
“Now these vehicles have no legality. So first they have to be brought under legality,” he said.
Traffic authorities insist enforcement efforts are continuing despite limitations.
Md Anisur Rahman, additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s traffic division, said police were regularly conducting drives, filing cases and imposing fines against unauthorized vehicles.
“We are constantly trying to control them,” he said, acknowledging that authorities lack the capacity to fully stop the vehicles from entering major roads.
Yet for many commuters, the growing presence of battery-powered autorickshaws has become symbolic of a larger traffic management crisis in Bangladesh -- one where technology-driven enforcement coexists with weak regulation, fragmented coordination and chaotic urban transport systems.