Rickshaws banned on Dhaka's main roads: DNCC administrator

From now on, no type of rickshaws will be allowed to ply on Dhaka's main roads, said Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) administrator Mohammad Ejaz. He said that the rickshaws will ply only on internal roads. A strict campaign is being conducted against illegal battery-powered rickshaws in particular. The charging points and manufacturing workshops of these rickshaws will be closed with the help of DESCO.

The DNCC administrator said this while participating in a campaign against illegal battery-powered rickshaws in the capital's Asadgate area on Tuesday (May 13). At that time, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and DNCC jointly conducted a campaign and seized about 30 battery-powered rickshaws plying on the main roads.

Administrator Mohammad Ejaz said that a study has shown that these battery-powered rickshaws are responsible for about 20 percent of road accidents in the city. Especially women and children are the most affected in these accidents. These rickshaws have been built without following any safety guidelines, due to which their speed is uncontrolled and they often run over pedestrians while moving.

He also said that the government is taking planned steps to prevent accidents and restore order in public transport on the roads. A design for a battery-powered safe rickshaw has been developed with the help of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). Some approved companies have already been given permission to manufacture rickshaws based on that design.

The DNCC administrator said that initiatives will be taken to train rickshaw drivers within this month. Only drivers who pass the training will get a valid license and only rickshaws made by approved companies will be allowed to operate in designated areas. Rickshaws from one area cannot be operated in another area.

In addition, he said that rickshaw fares will be fixed to reduce harassment of passengers. Each rickshaw driver will get a license based on a national identity card. Administrator Mohammad Ejaz expressed hope that this will also stop the uncontrolled trade that has developed in rickshaw operation.

DNCC Region-5 Regional Executive Officer ANM Badruddoja, Traffic Engineering Circle Superintendent Engineer Khandaker Mahbub Alam, and officials from DMP and DNCC Region-5 were also present in the drive.