Unregulated battery-run rickshaws, easy-bikes choke Jashore town

Uncontrolled growth of battery-operated rickshaws and easy-bikes has thrown Jashore town into severe traffic congestion, making daily life increasingly difficult for residents.

With the number of such vehicles far exceeding the capacity of the city’s roads, traffic jams have become a constant ordeal. Road accidents and public suffering are now part of everyday life. The situation has further deteriorated due to unregulated vehicle operation, unskilled drivers and excessive charging demands amid ongoing power shortages.

On Tuesday, senior journalist and joint secretary of Jashore Press Club Kazi Ashraful Azad was injured in a road accident. He was heading to MSTP School after dropping his daughter at Institute School when a speeding auto-rickshaw hit him. He was later treated at Jashore General Hospital and sent home for recovery.

Like Azad, many others are being injured in similar incidents almost daily.

According to Jashore Municipality, there are 2,975 authorised easy-bikes and around 1,500 pedal rickshaws in the city. However, in reality, more than 20,000 illegal easy-bikes and battery-powered rickshaws are operating on major roads.

Key areas such as Doratana, Chitrar Mor, Hospital Mor and Monihar remain gridlocked for hours at a time.

Sources said that, in addition to city-based vehicles, many rickshaws and easy-bikes enter Jashore every morning from surrounding upazilas. A significant number of drivers are unfamiliar with city roads, while many are teenagers or untrained operators. Their reckless driving, disregard for traffic signals and random passenger pick-up and drop-off have made roads increasingly unsafe.

Although the municipality claims it has not issued new licences in the past eight years, authorities have failed to curb the influx of illegal vehicles. Occasional drives are conducted, but these have not produced lasting results.

A reliable administrative source alleged that influential political figures are backing many of these illegal vehicles, making strict enforcement difficult.

Meanwhile, the large number of easy-bikes and auto-rickshaws consumes substantial electricity for charging every day, adding pressure to the local power supply. Lack of transparency in the list of licensed vehicles and the passive role of traffic authorities are pushing the city towards an uncertain situation.

Residents, including Rezaul Islam, Subrata and Ashik, urged the administration to identify and control illegal vehicles promptly and take firm action free from political influence.

Dr Habiba Sultana Fowara, residential medical officer at Jashore General Hospital, said patients injured in accidents involving easy-bikes and auto-rickshaws are arriving at the hospital regularly.

Jashore Traffic Police Inspector Md Yusuf Ali said a meeting with civil society representatives was held on Tuesday to address traffic congestion.

“The issue of battery-run rickshaws and easy-bikes was discussed. We hope to take effective measures after another meeting in the first week of next month,” he added.