Despite government pledges to promote energy efficiency and environmental protection, the rapid spread of battery-powered rickshaws and e-bikes has emerged as a growing strain on Bangladesh’s power system and a serious environmental and public health concern.
Across districts from Bogra, Khulna and Rajshahi to Barisal, Sylhet, Rangpur, Tangail, Lakshmipur, Satkhira and Pabna - thousands of battery-powered vehicles now operate daily, supported by a vast network of mostly unauthorized charging points.
Experts warn that without regulation, these vehicles are consuming massive amounts of electricity while releasing toxic waste into the environment.
A study by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) estimates that more than one million battery-powered vehicles currently operate nationwide, consuming around 1,000 megawatts of electricity daily for charging alone.
Private sector estimates suggest the number of e-bikes exceeds 1.1 million, alongside battery rickshaws and other three-wheeled electric vehicles.
Government figures paint an even larger picture.
In February 2025, the adviser for power, energy and mineral resources told that Bangladesh has around four million battery-powered rickshaws and e-bikes, with more than 1.2 million operating in Dhaka alone - about 10 lakh rickshaws and two lakh e-bikes.
Yet none of these vehicles are registered with the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), leaving the sector almost entirely unregulated.
Environmental and health fallout
Most of these vehicles rely on lead-acid batteries, which pose severe environmental and health risks.
Expired and damaged batteries are frequently dumped in open spaces or dismantled in informal workshops, releasing toxic metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and nickel into soil, water and air.
Research shows that lead contamination persists in nature, enters the food chain and disproportionately affects children.
Informal “battery-breaking” workshops - often employing poor adults and children - extract lead using water, contaminating rivers, wetlands and farmland. Fish, crops and livestock absorb the toxins, which ultimately reach humans.
A recent ICDDR,B survey found that children in Dhaka have blood lead levels nearly ten times higher than normal.
Dr Mahbubur Rahman of ICDDR,B warned of the scale of the crisis: “One rickshaw releases around 20 kilograms of lead each year. Across four million vehicles, that means roughly 800 million kilograms of lead entering the environment annually. Imagine the impact over the next decade.”
Buet Assistant Professor Kazi Md Shifun Newaz described the situation starkly, calling battery rickshaws in Dhaka “a cancer risk in an advanced stage” and urging immediate intervention.
Power theft and grid pressure
The electricity burden is equally alarming.
Each e-bike requires four to five batteries and consumes five to six units of electricity per charge.
Daily charging of one million vehicles places enormous pressure on the national grid.
Dhaka alone has an estimated 5,000 charging stations, many using illegal electricity connections.
According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), the city contains 3,300 legal charging stations, more than 48,000 illegal charging points, and 992 garages - each storing 80 to 150 vehicles.
The Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) says authorized charging stations consume over 26 megawatts of electricity daily, while illegal connections deprive the state of significant revenue.
Despite official bans, battery-powered rickshaws continue to operate on major roads, including VIP routes.
Attempts at enforcement often meet resistance, with drivers sometimes clashing with police.
Meanwhile, factories in areas such as Kamrangir Char, Keraniganj, Komlapur, Sabujbagh, Manda, Gazipur and Tongi produce 400 to 500 battery rickshaws daily, priced between Tk60,000 and Tk80,000.
Calls for regulation, not prohibition
Policy experts argue that outright bans are neither realistic nor fair, given that millions depend on battery-powered vehicles for livelihoods and affordable transport.
The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and other experts recommend a comprehensive regulatory framework that includes transitioning from lead-acid to lithium-ion or solar-based batteries, shutting down illegal charging stations, providing financial and technical support to drivers, and establishing proper recycling systems for damaged batteries.
Mozammel Haque, secretary of the Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association, stressed the urgency: “With more than six million battery-powered vehicles nationwide, including around eight lakh in Dhaka, regulation is no longer optional. Without clear rules, the risks to public health, road safety and the power grid will only worsen.”
Experts agree that without swift, coordinated action, Bangladesh risks trading short-term transport convenience for long-term environmental damage, health crises and energy insecurity.
