A busy road in Dhaka. A battery-powered auto-rickshaw speeds in the wrong direction. Pedestrians are ahead, while buses and private cars pass alongside it. The driver keeps honking. Sometimes, the rickshaw hits other vehicles; at other times, it blocks pedestrians.
Each collision adds points to the “National Loss” score. Eventually, an angry crowd chases the driver, catches him and beats him. That is where the game ends.
This is not a real scene from Dhaka’s streets. It is part of an online game called "Baper Rasta". Players take on the role of a battery-powered auto-rickshaw driver, breaking traffic rules, hitting vehicles and pedestrians, and honking unnecessarily. The game ends with the driver being beaten by an angry crowd.
The game quickly went viral on social media for its humorous portrayal of the familiar chaos on Dhaka’s roads. According to Google Analytics data dated October 25, 2026, it was played more than 100,000 times over the two days following its release, a Friday and a Saturday.
Its popularity reflects more than people’s interest in an entertaining game. It also gives digital expression to the frustration, insecurity and anger that commuters in Dhaka have experienced for years.
But what about the people behind the chaos portrayed in the game? How much responsibility for traffic violations lies with drivers’ behaviour, and how much is linked to problems in the transport system, employment opportunities and regulation? Can portraying mob violence as the consequence of traffic violations make such violence seem normal?
Viewed through these questions, "Baper Rasta" becomes more than a viral game. It brings into focus Dhaka’s transport system, informal labour market, urban frustration and digital culture.
Software engineer Omar Faruk Riyadh created the game. He lives in Mohakhali and works in Mirpur. During his daily commute, he regularly saw battery-powered auto-rickshaws travelling in the wrong direction, honking continuously and putting other vehicles and pedestrians at risk. These experiences inspired him to develop the game.
Riyadh shared it on his Facebook profile on October 22. Initially created for friends and family, the game began attracting wider attention on social media the following day.
In an interview, Riyad said he wanted to turn everyday frustrations into a game that people could play while recognising the problems through humour. He said he had no personal hostility towards auto-rickshaw drivers. Instead, he wanted proper rules for their movement and accountability when those rules are violated.
It took him around two weeks to develop the game using JavaScript, HTML and CSS. He used Three.js for the three-dimensional visuals and did not rely on a ready-made game engine.
The game features familiar scenes and landmarks from Dhaka, including rickshaw paintings, flyovers, artwork on metro rail pillars, the Shaheed Minar, flower shops in Shahbagh and Ananda Cinema Hall.
It also has an option called "Sound Bomb", which plays dialogues such as "Khaisi Tore" and "Sunday Monday Close Koira Dimu". Other features humorously portray vehicles being charged through illegal electricity connections and problems being settled with police through "tea money". At the end, a fictional newspaper called "Dainik Jaanjot" publishes headlines about the player’s performance.
Many people see the game’s popularity as a reflection of their everyday experiences on Dhaka’s roads. Battery-powered rickshaws often speed recklessly, make sudden turns, travel in the wrong direction and honk unnecessarily. Sharing limited road space with buses, motorcycles, private cars and pedestrians, such behaviour can increase the risk of accidents.
Emon Sikder, who travels from Farmgate to Motijheel every day, said: “I see many such incidents while travelling to work. Sometimes a rickshaw suddenly comes from the opposite direction, while another cuts in front of a bus. While playing the game, I recognised many familiar scenes. But these incidents are not funny in real life. At that moment, I worry about my own safety.”
A female passenger said: “Sometimes we have to take these rickshaws to reach our destinations quickly. If they are completely banned, many people will face difficulties travelling. However, when drivers speed, make sudden turns or travel in the wrong direction, it feels frightening. Even when we say something to the drivers, they often do not pay attention. There should be clear rules about where these vehicles can operate, how fast they can go and who will check their roadworthiness. Drivers must receive proper training, and their speed must also be controlled.”
For many passengers, battery-powered rickshaws are both a convenient mode of transport and a source of safety concerns. They rely on these vehicles for short journeys but remain exposed to risks from uncontrolled movement.
A January 2026 study by Innovation Consulting, titled "Urban Mobility Study: Rickshaws in Transition", found that 44.45% of battery-powered rickshaw drivers had experienced serious to very serious accidents. The figure was 29.6% among pedal-powered rickshaw drivers.
The findings underline that road safety concerns exist alongside demand for convenient transport. The problem, therefore, cannot be explained solely by drivers’ behaviour. Passenger demand, road infrastructure and weaknesses in transport management are also part of the picture.
Employment and livelihood are important factors behind the expansion of battery-powered auto-rickshaws. For many people, driving one offers an opportunity to earn an income with a relatively small investment. Limited formal employment opportunities, migration from rural areas to cities and declining income from other occupations have also encouraged people to enter the profession.
The Innovation Consulting study found that around 75% of battery-powered rickshaw drivers had not previously worked in the profession. Nearly 60% had less than two years of experience, indicating a significant influx of new drivers.
Around 80% of the drivers operated rented vehicles, while approximately 21% owned their rickshaws. Ownership made a considerable difference to their earnings. Drivers who owned their vehicles earned an average of around Tk 970 per day, compared with Tk418 for those who rented them. The average daily rental cost was approximately Tk414. Meanwhile, 57.8% of drivers said their income had increased after entering the profession.
Although the work offers an income opportunity, rental costs and other expenses reduce the amount many drivers take home.
Md Kamrul, who drives a rented rickshaw in Azimpur, said: “We have to pay the daily vehicle rental before taking our rickshaws onto the road. At the end of the day, we have to manage our families with whatever remains after paying the rent and other expenses. If the brakes or other parts of the vehicle develop problems, we cannot always afford to get them repaired ourselves. We have no objection to following traffic rules.”
Akkas, who owns and drives his own rickshaw, said: “This vehicle is how I support my family. Many drivers on the roads do not follow the rules. But it is not right to judge everyone in the same way. If specific routes are assigned, we will also be able to follow the rules.”
These accounts raise questions about drivers’ working conditions and vehicle ownership. The person driving a rickshaw is not necessarily its owner. Decisions about the vehicle’s brakes, battery, structure and maintenance may depend on its owner or the garage. Drivers should be held accountable for traffic violations, while responsibility for providing and maintaining safe vehicles must also be clearly defined.
The study collected information from 348 drivers, 312 passengers and 63 garage owners in the Dhaka North and Dhaka South city corporation areas. Its findings offer an important picture of the sector in Dhaka but should not be treated as comprehensive official statistics for the entire country.
One of the most discussed features of "Baper Rasta" is the scene in which the driver is chased and beaten by a mob. The game uses humour to portray public anger over traffic violations. But showing mob violence as the consequence of an offence, rather than legal action, raises questions about the message it sends.
Professor Tahsina Akter of the Department of Sociology at the University of Dhaka said social satire could help bring long-standing problems into public discussion. However, portraying people from a particular profession as symbols of a problem could also create negative attitudes towards them.
“If someone violates the law, they must be dealt with through legal procedures. Showing mob beating as an alternative form of punishment is dangerous because it can make taking the law into one’s own hands seem normal,” she said.
She added that responsibility for traffic violations should be assessed by considering both individual behaviour and institutional failures.
She also said: “Those who have been involved in this profession for a long time should not be suddenly pushed out of their livelihoods. Instead, arrangements should be made to bring them under proper regulations.”
In reality, law enforcement agencies and the relevant authorities are responsible for taking action against traffic violations. Mob violence cannot restore discipline on the roads; it can instead create further violence and insecurity.
Discussions about road accidents often focus on a particular type of vehicle or its drivers. However, understanding the causes requires looking beyond individual behaviour to vehicle conditions, road design, traffic management, speed control, pedestrian safety and law enforcement.
According to a report published by Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) data, 3,257 people were killed in 4,910 road accidents across the country between January and July that year. The fatality rate per accident was 66.3%. For accidents involving battery-powered rickshaws, the rate was 78.6%.
In Dhaka, buses, trucks, motorcycles, private cars, CNG-powered auto-rickshaws, pedal-powered rickshaws, battery-powered rickshaws and pedestrians all share limited road space. Occupied footpaths, illegal parking, weak lane management, differences in vehicle speeds and inconsistent enforcement of traffic laws add to the risks.
Sirajul Islam, a traffic police sergeant at Lalbagh Police Station, said: “We try to manage traffic without causing unnecessary inconvenience. However, in managing Dhaka’s roads, we need to look not only at the number of vehicles but also at how road space is distributed. Buses, private cars, rickshaws and pedestrians all use the same limited space. Without safe footpaths, effective public transport, designated lanes and proper planning for short-distance travel, controlling just one type of vehicle will not provide a lasting solution.”
Amid a long-running debate over the uncontrolled movement of battery-powered rickshaws, the government published the "Three-Wheeled Low-Speed Battery-Operated Rickshaw (E-Rickshaw) Movement Rules, 2026" in the official gazette on October 29, 2026. The rules were issued under SRO No. 384-Law/2026.
Under the regulations, registration is mandatory for battery-powered three-wheeled rickshaws operating in city corporation areas. Each vehicle must have a QR code-based registration number and a number plate. Registration will remain valid for five years, and a person holding a national identity card will be allowed to register a maximum of five vehicles.
Vehicles must meet the technical and safety standards set by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). A fitness certificate and approval from the relevant traffic department will be required for registration and renewal. Older vehicles may also be registered after necessary structural modifications and fitness tests.
The one-time registration fee is Tk8,000 for vehicles with two passenger seats and Tk10,000 for those with four passenger seats. Annual renewal fees are Tk4,000 and Tk5,000, respectively. A fitness certificate will cost an additional Tk1,000.
Although registration is valid for five years, the economic lifespan of a vehicle has been set at 12 years from the date of registration. The registration period and the maximum economic lifespan are therefore separate matters.
The maximum speed limit is 25 kilometres per hour. Around schools, hospitals, religious institutions and crowded public places, the limit is 15 kilometres per hour. Depending on the vehicle’s design, it may carry a maximum of two or four passengers, excluding the driver.
The vehicles will be prohibited from national highways, expressways, elevated expressways, BRT corridors, major bus routes and other roads restricted by the authorities. Driving on footpaths, illegal overtaking, irregular lane changes and using mobile phones while driving are also prohibited. The maximum horn noise level has been set at 40 decibels.
The regulations also cover charging, battery management, garages, environmental protection and procedures to follow after accidents. Batteries must be charged at designated points or garages approved by the city corporation. Dumping used batteries in open spaces, on the ground, in water bodies or with regular waste, as well as burning them, is prohibited. The rules also provide for collecting old batteries and sending them to authorised recycling centres.
The relevant authorities and traffic departments will determine the number of vehicles, operating zones, routes and colours with prior government approval. A vehicle registered in one city corporation will not be allowed to operate commercially in another. Movement outside designated zones will also be regulated.
Hosneara Yasmin, an administrative officer at the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority, said: “Publishing the regulations is a necessary step. However, registration alone will not make roads safe. Vehicle design and fitness tests, driver training, route allocation and effective action against rule violations must all be implemented together. At the same time, realistic opportunities for change must be provided for those who depend on this profession for their livelihoods. We are trying to work on these issues as quickly as possible.”
A report published by BSS on Monday said initiatives had been taken to begin the registration process in 13 city corporations across the country.
The accounts of passengers, drivers and authorities highlight the competing realities surrounding battery-powered rickshaws in Dhaka. For passengers, they offer a convenient way to travel short distances. For drivers, they provide a source of livelihood. Yet concerns remain over unsafe driving, accident risks and vehicle conditions.
The new government regulations cover registration, fitness tests, speed limits, designated routes and charging facilities. Their impact will depend on how effectively they are implemented, how many rickshaws are allowed in each area, and how responsibility for driver training and monitoring is shared.
"Baper Rasta" has brought public frustration over traffic violations into the spotlight. At the same time, it has drawn attention to Dhaka’s dependence on battery-powered rickshaws and the livelihoods of those who work in the sector.