Battery-run rickshaw registration begins

State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam has announced that the registration of battery-powered rickshaws will begin in 13 city corporations from Monday, with individuals allowed to register five rickshaws against their national identity number. 

He made this announcement at a press conference on Three-Wheeled Slow Moving Battery-Operated Rickshaw (E-Rickshaw) Movement Rules, 2026, at the Secretariat on Sunday.

“The two Dhaka city corporations would be divided into eight zones to regulate the movement of these rickshaws. The rickshaws will have eight different colours based on their respective zones to prevent vehicles from operating from one zone to other,” he said.

Alam said the number of rickshaws allowed in each zone will be determined through discussions between the traffic department and city corporations.

The one-time registration fee for an e-rickshaw with two-passenger carrying capacity is Tk8,000 and the annual renewal fee is Tk4,000, while the one-time registration fee for a four-seater is Tk10,000 and the annual renewal fee is Tk5,000.

However, the state minister did not mention a deadline for completing e-rickshaw registrations.

He said he will meet journalists again one month after the registration process begins to share its progress. At that time, he will disclose the number of registered rickshaws and measures taken to control illegal ones.

Shahe Alam said the permitted maximum speed of each vehicle will not exceed 25 kilometres per hour. However, the maximum speed limit would be 15 kilometres per hour near schools, hospitals, places of worship and crowded areas.

He said the economic lifespan of an e-rickshaw would be 12 years from the date of registration. Existing e-rickshaws would not be banned immediately, and there was no reason for owners to panic. 

The state minister said driving licences would not be mandatory for now. A separate notification will be issued on the matter once the registration process is underway. 

Alam said the rickshaw batteries must be charged at designated stations. Approval will be given to establish charging stations at specific locations.
Institutions capable of arranging solar-powered charging facilities for rickshaws will be given priority. Magistrates of the city corporations will regularly monitor these activities.

The state minister said existing vehicles will have to be modified in accordance with the design approved by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology before registration. So, only after the modifications, the vehicles will be registered.

Besides, manufacturers will also have to follow the approved design when producing them, the state minister said, adding that battery-operated rickshaws have long been operating in different cities across the country without legal registration.