'Bangla Teslas' take over the road despite policy gridlock

Battery-run auto-rickshaws and e-bikes have transformed the traffic landscape from faraway rural districts to the capital city, Dhaka, over the past decade -- earning the nickname "Bangla Teslas". Despite their numbers surging every day, the authorities are slow to regulate the three-wheelers and develop safer designs.

While the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) does not register these vehicles, the commerce ministry permits the import of all their parts.

In the latest development in mid-May, the authorities directed a ban on battery-run rickshaws in Dhaka citing safety concerns. Subsequent auto-rickshaw driver protests prompted the prime minister to intervene, allowing their continued operation until alternative livelihoods are found.

However, these three-wheelers still remain banned on 22 highways and major Dhaka roads.

Traders say battery-run auto-rickshaws have been imported from China since 2003-04. Those imported models offered some structural safety. But locally manufactured versions, which began appearing in 2010, often have poor technical standards.

Battery-run rickshaws are fundamentally unsafe, according to Professor Md Ziaur Rahman Khan at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). "They are basically manual rickshaws with motors added. Their structure simply cannot handle the speeds they reach."

Huge demand, plenty supply

A wide variety of complete battery-run rickshaws and e-bikes, along with their component parts such as batteries and motors, are now readily available from Dhaka to rural areas.

Hundreds of shops across the capital cater to this demand, including those in Kamlapur, Mirpur, Dakshinkhan, Nawabpur, Old Dhaka's Bangshal and surrounding areas of Narayanganj and Gazipur.

Mohammad Shazib, who owns a shop in Dhaka's Bangshal, said he sells everything needed to build a complete battery-run auto-rickshaw and easy-bike.

The cost of a single battery pack, consisting of four battery units, starts from Tk 13,000 to Tk 28,000. Local manufacturers dominate the battery market, with some imports coming from China.

Motors are mainly brought in from China, costing between Tk 3,000 to Tk 8,000, according to the shop owner.

"A complete battery-run rickshaw costs between Tk 50,000 to Tk 75,000, while easy-bikes range from Tk 100,000 to Tk 150,000. We can sell parts for four to five vehicles a day. There is a huge demand for this mode of transport," he added.

This demand has spurred a surge in shops selling these parts, both in the metropolis and elsewhere, Mr Shazib said.

Md Abdullahil Hadi, in-charge of an easy-bike showroom in Kamlapur's National Stadium market, told The Financial Express that he sells an average of 8-10 easy-bikes (locally called Mishuk, which can carry 4-6 passengers) per month.

The Mishuks are priced between Tk 95,000 to Tk 130,000. A battery set usually lasts up to two years.

"Some are locally manufactured, but I import most of them from China," Mr Hadi added.

A Tk 1.75 trillion sector without any regulations

Industry insiders estimate there are over 4 million battery-run auto-rickshaws, easy-bikes across the country, with 6 million people directly employed in the sector and over 30 million indirectly.

Khalequzzaman Lipon, convener of the Battery-run Easy-bike and Rickshaw Drivers' Movement Council, claimed that "with drivers earning Tk 500 daily, their total earnings amount to at least Tk 3 billion daily, Tk 90 billion monthly and Tk 1.08 trillion annually."

Including spare parts and related businesses, Mr Lipon estimated this sector generates an estimated Tk 1.75 trillion or more than 3 per cent of the national GDP.

He called for regulation, including driver licences, vehicle registration and route permits. Mr Lipon said that loopholes in the current system allow for exploitation, including extortion targeting Dhaka's 1.3 million battery-run vehicles.

He alleged that at least Tk 1.3 billion is extorted monthly from the sector in Dhaka city alone, with each auto-rickshaw or easy-bike targeted for between Tk 1,000 to Tk 2,500.

He claimed the situation has improved since the prime minister's decision to allow battery-run rickshaws in Dhaka.

Abu Taher, a battery-rickshaw driver in Uttar Badda, also echoed the same.

He said, "I no longer have to pay Tk 1,000 since the government allows us to run on Dhaka streets."

"There is also less fear of police seizures. Now we can run on most roads, except major ones, without fear of extortion," said Mr Taher.

Safe design, management go missing

Experts estimate that an additional 800,000 new battery-run easy-bikes hit the streets every year. The three-wheelers are poorly built and have lead batteries that are not sustainable.

Professor Md Ziaur Rahman Khan of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) at BUET said these vehicles are unsafe due to their flawed design.

"The government's decision to lift restrictions and give them a blank cheque to operate is concerning," he said to the FE. "This was a missed opportunity to improve the situation. Regulations, including safety standards for roads and passengers, should be implemented before allowing widespread use."

Professor Khan advocated for a phased approach, gradually replacing locally designed easy-bikes with safer models developed in consultation with experts and stakeholders.

The State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid recently told the House that there are plans to replace lead batteries with lithium ones.

Professor Khan said "While lithium batteries are more expensive than lead-acid ones, they offer greater sustainability and environmental benefits."

But there are hardly any recycling facilities for lithium batteries in the country.

"Ensuring proper recycling infrastructure for such a large number of batteries must be a priority before adopting lithium technology," said the BUET professor.

The unregulated nature of the sector makes it difficult to quantify their power consumption, as they use a mix of legal and illegal sources, according to officials.

"There is no doubt these rickshaws and easy-bikes consume a huge amount of electricity," SK Munir Ahmed, director (Management) at the Power Cell, Power Division, told the FE.

"We estimate their daily consumption to be around 1,000 megawatts, with some areas utilising solar power. However, the lack of regulations or a centralised system makes it impossible to obtain accurate figures," he added.

The Road Transport and Highways Division drafted a policy in November 2021 to legalise easy-bikes, battery-run rickshaw-vans and other similar vehicles. However, progress on this front remains elusive.

ABM Amin Ullah Nuri, secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division, told the FE that they are still developing a policy to regulate the sector.

"We will sit with the stakeholders and consult to draft a policy," he said. "Industry recommendations will be considered before finalisation."

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