'Banglar Tesla': Illegal, unsafe and rickety

'Battery-run rickshaws are Banglar Tesla'. That is how State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid describes the battery-run three-wheelers that are now swarming the streets, lanes and bye-lanes of Dhaka and most other places of the country. Tesla is a cutting-edge company owned by SpaceX-famed Elon Musk known for manufacturing efficient electric cars.
The state minister was all praise for these rickshaws when ruling party lawmaker from Narayanganj Shamim Osman drew his attention during the question-answer session of parliament late last week to the pilferage of power consumed for recharging these rickshaws and their unsafe structure.
The minister's reply must have surprised Mr Osman. Like him, many had taken the minister's note of appreciation with a grain of salt.
The first issue here is a legal one. Some municipalities or city corporations might have issued licences for these vehicles. All these three-wheelers plying the streets of Dhaka city are illegal, as they do not have valid licences issued by any statutory body. None knows for sure the actual number of these vehicles. Mr Nasrul Hamid quoted a figure – 4.0 million rickshaw pullers, but he did not tell the source of his statistics.
He also dismissed the allegation of pilferage of power for charging the lead batteries used by the three-wheelers, claiming that return from these vehicles is much higher compared to the electricity they are consuming. About 4.0 million rickshaw pullers are dependent on these vehicles for earning their daily bread, he added. The state minister also informed parliament that the government had a plan to supply lithium batteries to the led battery-run rickshaws.
Defending the plying of battery-run rickshaws, Mr Nasrul Hamid said world over electric vehicles are replacing fuel-run vehicles because the former are far more efficient than the latter.
The minister's statement favouring the battery-run rickshaws comes in contrast to a government order, issued on May 05, 2011, banning the import and assembly of such vehicles. An inter-ministerial meeting had decided to stop such vehicles from plying the streets primarily because those used pilfered electricity for charging batteries.
The battery-run rickshaws were first imported in 2008 from China. Following the imposition of the ban, indigenous varieties of the same started hitting the roads across the country. With the government agencies concerned preferred to be onlookers, thousands of rickety pedal rickshaws converted into battery-run vehicles are now swarming the streets of Dhaka and many other places. The police and city corporations are lenient to this illegal variety of vehicles.
The authorities may like it or not, but it will be impossible on their part to ban these motor-driven rickshaws now, '4.0 million' people are now dependent on those for their livelihoods. Strong street protests are likely in the event of any such move. Indifference, deliberate or otherwise, is about to exact a cost, as far as road safety and discipline are concerned.
When these vehicles started appearing on the streets, there were two opposing opinions in the government circles. The Bangladesh Power Development Board officials opposed their introduction while the Dhaka Transport Coordination Board recommended issuing operating licences in favour of rickshaws and opening battery charging stations for them.
No government agency has issued any operating licences so far. Yet the number of these vehicles has grown phenomenally in recent years. There are many areas in Dhaka city where these rickshaws pose a threat to movement of other vehicles and pedestrians.
It is impossible to ignore the relevant legal and safety issues. The problem is these vehicles are operating without valid licences. It is unimaginable that motorised vehicles without licences can operate on the streets.
Now, who would issue licences in their favour, city corporations or the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority?
Since these rickshaws are motor-run, one may argue, those should fall under the Motor Vehicle Act. In that event, the BRTA needs to issue licences. It will be impossible for the BRTA to handle such a huge number of vehicles.
Besides, it is hard to ignore the issue of power consumption of battery-run rickshaws. One rickshaw needs at least 10 units of electricity for a single charging. The power division should assess how much power these vehicles are consuming daily and the quantity of fuel the power plants need to generate the same volume of power.

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