Whether it is for daily commuting or leisure trips, unsafe battery-powered three-wheelers dominate as the prime mode of transportation due to the government's reluctance to regulate their growth under a regulatory framework.
The reluctance also means the government is ignoring its target to shift to e-vehicles by 2030.
Experts and sector analysts say the government's prolonged reluctance to regulate the sector through technical standards and a comprehensive legal framework has allowed unsafe and non-standard electric three-wheelers in urban streets and rural roads, narrowing the scope for authorised EVs.
According to industry estimates, between four and six million battery-powered three-wheelers, commonly known as e-rickshaws or Teslas, are currently operating across the country.
The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) data, however, shows that more than six million motor vehicles were registered until last year, and nearly half of them were motorcycles and conventional autorickshaws.
"If the estimate is close to reality, it means almost half of the country's vehicles are operating outside the regulatory framework and cannot be considered standard electric vehicles," says Professor Mohammad Ehsan of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
He says Bangladesh's experience with electric mobility began much like that of many other countries, with the rapid growth of unauthorised electric three-wheelers.
However, unlike those countries, Bangladesh failed to establish technical standards, certification procedures, and an effective regulatory framework over the past 12 to 15 years, he says.
"In the absence of a comprehensive e-mobility policy and implementation guidelines, achieving 30 per cent EV penetration in the transport sector by 2030 will be difficult," he adds.
Mir Masud Kabir of Bangladesh Auto Industries says local manufacturers have the technical capacity to produce electric vehicles but have been unable to capitalise on the growing market because of policy uncertainty.
He says the e-mobility policy should establish technical standards for all categories of electric vehicles, particularly three-wheelers, given their importance in the rural economy.
It should also introduce a mechanism to replace unregistered electric autorickshaws and non-standard batteries assembled by informal workshops using imported and locally manufactured components without uniform safety standards, he says.
Transport analysts say Bangladesh's public transport sector remains poorly regulated despite billions of dollars invested in transport infrastructure over the years.
Political influence, weak governance, fragmented policies, and inconsistent implementation have prevented the country from developing a modern, safe, and sustainable public transport system.
As a result, battery-powered three-wheelers have emerged as an indispensable mode of transport despite growing concerns over their non-standard design and safety.
They are unable to meet the government's nationally determined contribution (NDC) target of carbon emission.
All countries prepared NDC under the Paris Agreement to set the target of carbon emissions, including those who are not polluters.
Bangladesh's NDC was prepared last September, which set a target of carbon emission reduction in the transport sector.
Instead, road accidents as well as fatal injuries have also become a major cause for concern due to allowing freestyle growth of the e rickshaws.
Efaz Ahmed experienced those risks like many others while taking his mother to BIRDEM Hospital for her regular diabetes check-up.
The battery-powered three-wheeler lost control and overturned, which led them to rush to a nearby clinic for emergency treatment for severe bleeding from the mother's mouth and Efaz's knee injury.
For many commuters, however, convenience outweighs the risks.
They argue they can move faster on autorickshaws than manual ones, which have almost become unavailable nowadays.
Sector analysts say the widespread use of battery-powered three-wheelers reflects the absence of safe, affordable, and efficient public transport rather than consumer preference alone.
Although the government has announced plans to introduce electric buses and promote private electric vehicles, a comprehensive e-mobility policy covering buses, cars, motorcycles, three-wheelers, railways, water transport, and aviation has yet to be finalised.
The policy formulation process, which began in 2023, remains at the draft stage.
The present government has reconstituted the committee responsible for preparing the policy.
The draft EV guidelines prepared during the previous government define an electric vehicle based on the use of electric motors, batteries, and energy storage systems.
However, they do not adequately distinguish among different categories of electric vehicles or provide a comprehensive regulatory framework.
Only around 700 registered four-wheel electric vehicles, including cars and sport utility vehicles (SUVs), are currently on the roads, according to the BRTA.
However, critical issues such as charging infrastructure, battery recycling, end-of-life battery management, local manufacturing, technical standards, and vehicle certification remain largely unaddressed in the draft policy.
Industry stakeholders attribute the delay to the absence of a viable business model for private operators and investors.
Private operators, however, say the initial investment required for electric buses is nearly three times higher than that of diesel- or CNG-powered buses.
The existing bank financing remains inadequate to attract private investment, they say.
Although the current fiscal budget provides tax incentives for EV imports, industry stakeholders argue that tax benefits alone will not be sufficient.
smunima@yahoo.com