According to the“World Population Review,”approximately 24,652,900 people live in the Dhaka Metropolitan Area, making the capital of Bangladesh one of if not the most densely populated cities in the world -- home for approximately 23,234 people per square kilometre.
The city is already afflicted by numerous issues including a lack of proper housing and transportation, lack of clean water, deficiency in healthcare and education.
This city, a city of history and heritage, also known as the city of rickshaws, is also currently suffering from its own tradition as a result of the uncontrolled growth of rickshaws in the city.
Despite their long history of widespread use in cities and villages, rickshaws have recently been an element of annoyance for urban people. The city of Dhaka is mostly suffering from that.
According to a study by the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) back in 2019, more than 110,000 pedal rickshaws were roaming in Dhaka city and only 3–4% of them were registered. Since then, that number has increased day by day and is still increasing.
This agony is further compounded by the introduction of battery-powered rickshaws. In Bangladesh, battery-powered rickshaws, also referred to as electric rickshaws, gained popularity back in 2007. They swiftly emerged as a more affordable and effective substitute for conventional pedal-powered rickshaws.
The reduction of physical labour is a definitive and visible advantage of battery-powered rickshaws and many people prefer to ride these rickshaws to save time.
However, the absurd design, reckless speed, ineffective brakes, and unskilled drivers have unquestionably turned it into a deadly vehicle, with their involvement in numerous accidents becoming more and more common, being dangerous not just to the drivers and passengers but also to pedestrians and other drivers as well.
Moreover, a battery-powered rickshaw consumes a significant amount of electricity, and the worst part is that nearly every power supply used to charge these battery-powered rickshaws in Dhaka city is illegal per regulation. Ironically, somehow the general residents of this city are continuously paying for this unauthorized consumption of electricity.
The increasing strain on Dhaka city acquired further impetus with the government's overthrow on August 5, 2024. Since then, many rickshaws, particularly battery-powered rickshaws, have started to be introduced into Dhaka from all around the city and beyond.
Although attempts were made to stop them, the battery powered rickshaw pullers forcibly obtained permission to roam on the road through protests. Not only did this cause significant annoyance, but it also led to a severe breakdown in Dhaka's traffic management.
Roaming freely on the main roads, occupying the intersections, and standing everywhere in a scattered manner does not help the citizens of Dhaka in any way. The heritage of Dhaka has turned into a headache for the communities living in this city.
It is high time to take necessary steps to ensure that battery-powered rickshaws are an asset to the city. There are some steps that can be taken.
The first step required for the authorities is to be strict in preventing these types of rickshaws from entering Dhaka and their operation integrated into a system. Only a specific number of rickshaws should be permitted to operate on sub-lanes other than Dhaka's main streets.
Moreover, rickshaw drivers should be strictly enforced by traffic police to follow traffic laws when operating the vehicles and they should be strictly prohibited from entering main roads.
Though battery powered rickshaws directly or indirectly are a means of livelihood for many as well as quite environmentally-friendly, nevertheless, the process in which these rickshaws operate across Bangladesh, particularly in the city of Dhaka is not a feasible choice.
SM Iftakhar is a Social Media Coordinator at Dhaka Tribune.
