Speakers at a programme on Monday said that too many regulatory bodies have been struggling to come up with a single policy to regulate battery-run electric three wheelers (E3Ws), allowing unsafe vehicles to rule the thoroughfares in the city as well as across the country.
Against the backdrop of the failure by government departments concerned and an ineffective transport system, characterised by poor bus operation in the city, the supply of the E3Ws has become overloaded in the streets, they said.
They were addressing a discussion titled "Integrating Electric Three-Wheelers into Urban Transport Network: Challenges and Way Forward" organised by the CPD in the city.
Neelima Akhter, Executive Director, Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority, Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, and Kabir Ahamed, Chief, Physical Infrastructure Division, Bangladesh Planning Commission, spoke as the special guests.
Prof Asif-Uz-Zaman Khan, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, BUET, Vabatosh Chakrabarti, Executive Engineer, BITAC, and Khalequzzaman Lipon, Convener, Rickshaw, Battery-Powered Rickshaw-Van, and Easy Bike Sangram Parishad, also addressed the discussion. Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director, CPD, moderated the session.
Md. Khalid Mahmud, Programme Associate, CPD, presented the keynote paper, highlighting the health and environmental risk as well as road safety concerns associated with unregulated vehicles.
According to the World Bank, about 41 per cent of the population now lives in urban areas, further underscoring the need for effective and accessible transportation solutions. And, low-speed vehicles play a crucial role in ensuring connectivity to first and last mile destinations.
The design, braking system, and speed remain highly faulty which makes the battery-operated three wheelers risky and accident-prone, he said, adding that the BUET has already addressed those issues in its design.
Meanwhile, due to the easy access and the low investment required to buy such vehicles, many low-income people rush to join the roads with battery powered rickshaws or easy bikes. About 23 per cent of such vehicle owners are farmers, he said, citing a CPD study in Rangpur.
According to BRTA, the total number of E3Ws is now around 6 million and nearly 90 per cent of these vehicles are now manufactured locally, raising serious concerns about vehicle quality. About 16.5 per cent of road accidents in 2024 were caused by electric three-wheelers, while their share of road fatalities stood at 21 per cent.
On the other hand, the environmental risks posed by these vehicles are immense. About 78 per cent of the total lead batteries are consumed by the E3Ws. And, 80 per cent of the lead battery was recycled illegally, leading the CPD to suggest shifting to lithium batteries.
Khalequzzaman Lipon said that a number of government agencies, including city corporations, police, the road transport division, the local government bodies, are formulating regulations and policies, which has made the situation complex.
Speaking on the occasion, Neelima Akhter said that apart from the government, citizens also have a responsibility to bring order to the streets and control the use of such vehicles. She alleged that some businesses import auto-rickshaws in the name of introducing e-vehicles. There is no policy for the e-vehicles for which introduction of e-vehicle remains challenging in the country.
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