Battery-run rickshaw drivers demand HC order review, issue 7-day ultimatum to finalise guideline

Battery-run rickshaw drivers and workers have issued a seven-day ultimatum for authorities concerned to finalise a guideline formulated specifically for them to operate on the streets of Dhaka city.

Demanding a re-evaluation of last week's High Court order, which ordered authorities to remove these three-wheelers from the capital's roads, they have sought permission to operate following the implementation of the guideline.

Issuing the ultimatum, the Rickshaw, Battery Rickshaw-Van, and Easybike Sangram Parishad at a rally in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka this morning (23 November) also presented a seven-point charter of demands aimed at resolving their challenges and securing their livelihoods.

The Parishad leaders at the rally, which started at around 11am and ended around 12:15pm, warned of further protests if their demands were not met immediately.

Arguing battery-powered vehicles play a vital role in ensuring affordable and sustainable transportation for millions, they urged the government to take immediate steps to meet their demands, which are:

- Registration of easybikes, battery-operated rickshaws and other such vehicles under a guideline or existing regulatory frameworks, along with licences and route permits for drivers.

- Immediate measures to address technical faults in battery-powered vehicles and ensure their modernisation to improve efficiency and safety.

- Adequate compensation for all drivers and workers who have been injured or killed during the student-led mass uprising of July-August.

- Establishment of dedicated charging stations to prevent electricity theft and wastage.

- Build service roads or bylanes on every road and highway for battery-powered, low-speed, and local vehicles, such as easybikes and rickshaws, to reduce traffic chaos and accidents.

- Stop the seizure of battery-run rickshaws and easybikes in Dhaka and around the country, and return the seized vehicles and batteries.

- Rationing at army rates, pension schemes, and free healthcare facilities for all workers.

Addressing the rally, the organisation's President Jalal Ahmed said about 50 lakh people across the country are involved in the battery-powered transport sector, including easybikes and rickshaws.

"By taking out loans, mortgaging their land, and tackling police harassment and illegal extortion, these 50 lakh people contribute nearly Tk 2 lakh crore to the national economy annually by creating self-employment opportunities without any incentives or government assistance," he said.

"If these battery-run rickshaws are banned, countless people will become unemployed. Therefore, the court's order should be reconsidered as soon as possible to allow the operation of battery-powered rickshaws," he pleaded.

Khalekuzzaman Lipan, the convener of the organisation, said they have been harassed in various ways for the past three days. "The false cases and harassments must immediately stop."

He said, "For the past 12 years, we have been saying that a guideline should be formulated for battery-run rickshaws. We have asked to stop all kinds of extortion. No one can benefit by filing a writ [petition] while ruining someone's livelihood. The current situation has been created through provocation. We want the immediate implementation of the guideline."

How it all started

The rickshaw drivers' protests started after the High Court, last Tuesday (19 November), directed authorities to stop the operation of these battery-operated three-wheelers on the roads of Dhaka city within three days. The government has yet to take any specific step in this regard.

The court issued the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Brihottor Dhaka City Corporation Pedal-rickshaw Malik Oikya Jote President Jahurul Islam Masum and Secretary Md Momin Ali.

That same night, a Jahangirnagar University student, Afsana Karim, was killed in an accident involving a battery-run rickshaw, which later sparked protests among students.

On Wednesday (20 November) morning, isolated small protests had taken place in some of the city.

However, on Thursday (21 November) morning, the rickshaw drivers and workers held protests at major roads and intersections around the city, creating massive gridlocks and forcing commuters to walk or find alternative ways to reach their destinations.

They also blockaded the Mohakhali level crossing, suspending railway communication between Dhaka and most of the country for more than six hours.

Before suspending their protests around the capital at around 4pm, the drivers and workers had also clashed with law enforcement personnel in several areas including Mohakhali and Khilgaon. There were, however, no casualties.

On Friday (22 November) morning, a group of drivers and workers also demonstrated at the capital's Jurain, by blocking the railway crossing there for over three hours. Before vacating the area, they had also clashed with police and local BNP activists.

Sources at Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) said battery-powered rickshaws, vans, and similar three-wheelers have been deteriorating the road safety situation in Dhaka city for a while now. The High Court's order came after petitioners sought action in this regard, according to media reports.

Approximately 12 lakh rickshaws currently operate across the capital, with a significant portion of them being battery-powered. Additionally, many old pedal-rickshaws are being converted into motorised three-wheelers by installing batteries.

Despite multiple drives by the two city corporations of Dhaka, the operations of these illegal three-wheelers continue on city streets.

Battery-powered rickshaws are more prevalent in the side roads and alleys compared to the main roads. However, they often venture onto the main roads when the opportunity arises.