On any busy street in Dhaka today, it is hard to miss the drastic change. The familiar rhythm of pedal-powered rickshaws is slowly fading, replaced by battery-driven vehicles that glide through traffic with minimal effort.
For passengers, this may feel like comfort and convenience. For drivers, it may seem like relief from years of physical strain.
But beneath this shift lies a question we are not asking enough: What is happening to the health of the people who drive these rickshaws?
For decades, rickshaw pulling was one of the most physically demanding occupations in Bangladesh. It required strength, endurance, and long hours of continuous movement.
Many drivers spent six to eight hours a day, often under harsh weather conditions. While this work was undeniably hard, it also meant that rickshaw pullers remained physically active as part of their daily routine.
That reality is now changing.
Most of the battery-driven rickshaws operating in cities today do not even have functional pedals. The driver simply sits and controls the vehicle using a throttle. There is little to no physical effort involved.
In effect, a once physically active occupation is turning into a largely sedentary one.
At first glance, this may not seem like a problem. After all, reducing physical hardship sounds like progress.
Many drivers themselves prefer battery-run rickshaws because they are less exhausting and can sometimes generate more income.
Older workers or those with health issues find it easier to continue earning a living this way.
But there is another side to this story.
Physical activity is not just about fitness, it is closely tied to long-term health.
When daily movement suddenly disappears, the body begins to feel the impact.
A more sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases.
These are not distant concerns. Bangladesh is already facing a growing burden of such illnesses, especially in urban areas.
Rickshaw pullers are particularly vulnerable. Many come from low-income backgrounds, with very minimal access to healthcare, balanced diets, and health awareness.
For them, work itself used to provide the main source of physical activity.
Now, with battery-driven vehicles taking over, that natural form of exercise is disappearing -- and there is nothing replacing it.
This is what makes the issue worrying. The change is gradual, almost invisible.
There are no immediate symptoms, no sudden crisis. But over time, the health effects may quietly accumulate.
The challenge, therefore, is not to stop this transition, but to manage it better.
One simple step could be to rethink the design of these vehicles.
If battery-driven rickshaws included functional pedals or hybrid systems, drivers could still engage in some level of physical activity while working.
At present, many designs completely remove this possibility.
Another approach is awareness. Drivers need to understand that reduced physical effort at work should be balanced with some form of daily movement.
Community-level initiatives, perhaps supported by local authorities or NGOs, could help spread this message.
There is also room for research and policy attention.
As battery-run rickshaws become more common, discussions around regulation usually focus on traffic management, licensing, or electricity use.
Health is rarely part of that conversation. But it should be.
Integrating basic health check-ups or awareness programs into the registration process could be a starting point.
Urban change is inevitable. Cities grow, technologies evolve, and livelihoods adapt. But not all consequences of change are immediately visible.
Sometimes, they appear quietly, over years, affecting those who are least equipped to respond.
The story of battery-driven rickshaws in Bangladesh is not just about transport. It is also about how small shifts in daily life can reshape public health in ways we do not always anticipate.
Kazi Abdus Sobur is a veterinarian, microbiologist and public health researcher with multiple international publications. He can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsobur/ or [email protected].
