The interim government led by Dr Muhammad Yunus has decided to ban both battery-operated and cycle rickshaws on Dhaka's main roads.
The decision came during a meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka on Monday.
In the meeting, Chief Adviser Yunus tasked the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and traffic experts from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) with finding solutions to ease the capital’s notorious traffic congestion.
He ordered the DMP to find "quick and effective solutions" to the traffic problem in the city inhabited by over 20 million people.
Khandaker Nazmul Hasan, additional commissioner (traffic) at the DMP, told Dhaka Tribune after the meeting that the traffic situation had shown improvement following the deployment of more traffic police officers.
He confirmed that both battery-run autorickshaws and cycle rickshaws were banned on the city’s main roads, including VIP routes, though they would still be allowed to operate on local streets.
“If drivers, passengers and commuters follow traffic rules, maintaining the traffic system will be more convenient for everyone,” Nazmul said.
When asked about the DMP’s resources, the officer said while there was no shortage of manpower, traffic police had faced attacks in some areas. For instance, a traffic constable in Jatrabari had been stabbed recently, he said, adding that measures were being taken to boost police forces and improve officer morale to address such incidents.
The DMP additional commissioner expressed optimism that Dhaka's traffic management would return to normal within the week, as police had started enforcing the ban on illegal battery-operated rickshaws as well as cycle rickshaws on the main roads.
After the fall of Sheikh Hasina's administration, traffic management in Dhaka deteriorated, especially in the week following August 5. Battery-operated autorickshaws, previously restricted to local streets, flooded the main roads.
There were protests in late August at the Shahbagh intersection from both battery-run autorickshaw drivers and cycle rickshaw pullers, demanding access to Dhaka’s main roads.
Earlier, during the first days of August, traffic police were noticeably absent at most intersections in Dhaka, with students stepping in to manage traffic signals.
However, police eventually returned to their posts, and traffic control began to improve.
The erstwhile government, led by Sheikh Hasina, had legalized battery-operated autorickshaws across the country, except on main roads, in May.
Currently, more than one million electric battery-driven autorickshaws operate nationwide.