Battery-run rickshaws banned in Dhaka, Chittagong cities

The High Court (HC) rejected Thursday some writ petitions that sought permission for plying of battery-run rickshaws in Dhaka and Chittagong cities, lawyers concerned said.
An HC bench comprising Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar in its judgment rejected the writ petitions discharging rules, issued earlier over the matter.
Following the HC judgment, the battery-run rickshaws can no longer ply legally in Dhaka and Chittagong cities, the defence lawyers said.
Some associations of the battery-run rickshaw owners filed the writ petitions seeking the HC order to direct the Dhaka and Chittagong City Corporation authorities to dispose of their applications that they earlier submitted for licence to ply their battery-run rickshaws.
Following their writ petitions, the HC earlier issued rules asking the city corporations to explain as to why they should not be directed to dispose of their (associations') applications and allow plying of their vehicles, they said.
After hearing the matter, the HC bench rejected the writ petitions discharging the rules.
Advocate Md Ruhul Quddus, Advocate Md Toufiq Inam and Advocate Nazmul Haque appeared for the city corporations while Advocate Sk Shafique Mahmud Pushpo stood for the petitioners.
The city corporations' lawyers told the court that they cannot give licence to the battery-run rickshaws as per the existing laws.
Mr Shafique Mahmud, petitioners' lawyer, told the FE, "The HC discharged rules in three writ petitions, 'not pressed' rejected one writ petition and kept the matter for judgment on Sunday next in two other writ petitions."
However, Mr Ruhul Quddus said out of six separate writ petitions, the HC discharged rules of five petitions and another one remained for judgment later.