Battery rickshaw operators demand halt to garage raids, power cuts before rules take effect

Battery-powered rickshaw operators on Thursday demanded an immediate halt to raids on garages, electricity disconnections and vehicle seizures until the government finalises regulations for the sector.

The Rickshaw, Battery Rickshaw-Van and Easy Bike Struggle Council said electricity distribution companies were disconnecting legally obtained power connections on the grounds that garages lacked updated trade licences.

Yet Dhaka's two city corporations had stopped issuing and renewing those licences, it alleged.

The council also accused police of restricting the movement of battery-powered vehicles between different areas and seizing them before a formal registration and identification system had been introduced.

The demands came at a press conference outside the National Press Club in Dhaka at 11:30 am on October 15.

Raihanuddin, a member of the council's Dhaka Metropolitan branch and a former student leader, read out a written statement.

Khalequzzaman Lipon, convener of the council's Central Steering Committee, answered journalists' questions. The programme was chaired by metropolitan vice-president Jalal Ahmed and moderated by joint general secretary Daud Ali Mamun.

The council said the government was preparing regulations to bring an estimated 6 million battery-powered vehicles under a formal system. But enforcement agencies were already taking measures against drivers and garage owners before the rules had been finalised.

Power cuts, arrests and licensing deadlock

The council alleged that Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) and Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) had been conducting raids on rickshaw garages across the capital and disconnecting electricity connections by declaring them illegal.

It claimed that four garage owners and workers had been arrested and sentenced after protesting against the disconnection of legally obtained connections during operations involving executive magistrates.

The council said the actions had created fear and anger among garage owners, drivers and workers.

According to the organisation, DESCO and DPDC had recently issued notices requiring garage owners to submit updated trade licences within three to seven days.

The notices warned that failure to comply would result in electricity disconnection.

But the council said the city corporations, which are responsible for issuing and renewing trade licences, had stopped providing them to rickshaw garages.

It accused the electricity authorities of refusing to provide connections under the LT-D3 consumer category applicable to battery-charging garages, while simultaneously penalising operators for not possessing updated trade licences.

The council demanded that garages be allowed to obtain LT-D3 electricity connections and that the city corporations resume issuing trade licences.

Until the proposed regulations are finalised, it called for existing legal connections to remain operational, whether classified as commercial, small and cottage industry, or residential connections.

The organisation also criticised police restrictions on battery-powered vehicles travelling from outside Dhaka into the metropolitan area or moving between different localities.

It said vehicles were being stopped and seized even though the government had not introduced registration numbers, identification plates or a system for determining which vehicles could operate in particular areas.

The council argued that such restrictions were premature when the government itself had yet to decide how many vehicles would be permitted in Dhaka, what colours they would carry and which authorities would issue licences and fitness certificates.

The leaders said Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed had informed Parliament, following a Cabinet decision, that supporting regulations were being finalised to bring battery-powered rickshaws and easy bikes under a regulatory framework.

State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam had also discussed the initiative after a meeting at the LGED building.

According to the council, the Ministry of Local Government confirmed that the draft policies and regulations had been sent to the Ministry of Law for vetting.

Administrators of Dhaka's two city corporations and police officials had also publicly outlined aspects of the proposed arrangements.

Yet the council said the activities of electricity companies, city corporations and police were inconsistent with the government's stated objective of bringing the sector under a unified regulatory framework.

It warned that continued raids, disconnections and vehicle seizures could create further unrest and that the government would bear responsibility for any disorder resulting from what it described as unreasonable enforcement measures.

Council demands central authority, announces protests

The council renewed its demand for a central regulatory authority jointly involving the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and local government institutions.

It said BRTA should have a central role because of its experience in vehicle fitness, road safety, infrastructure and other technical aspects of motorised transport.

The organisation accused both the previous interim government and the current administration of deciding to place responsibility for battery-powered vehicles under local government authorities without consulting relevant stakeholders.

It said it had been campaigning for 13 years for comprehensive policies and regulations covering the sector.

The council called for an integrated system of driver training, vehicle registration, driving licences, fitness certification and route permits.

Such a framework, it argued, was necessary to improve road discipline, reduce congestion and protect passengers and drivers.

It also warned that delays in implementing regulations could allow vested interests to misdirect protests by working-class rickshaw drivers.

The council said the battery-powered transport sector had grown into a major economic activity involving battery manufacturers, rickshaw producers, garage operators, charging stations, drivers and millions of passengers.

It pledged support for reasonable government decisions that recognised the sector's economic and social importance while improving road safety.

However, it said drivers, owners and the council would not accept responsibility for disorder arising from arbitrary decisions by government agencies.

The organisation announced that garage owners would submit applications for electricity connections under the LT-D3 category through local initiatives in different police station jurisdictions and neighbourhoods.

Garage owners who had not obtained trade licences or submitted applications would approach the relevant offices of Dhaka's two city corporations between October 18 and 30.

Following those local programmes, the council's Dhaka Metropolitan branch would organise processions and submit memorandums to DESCO, DPDC and the administrators of the two city corporations during the first half of November.

The memorandums would focus on electricity connections, trade licence issuance and the suspension of enforcement actions before the regulatory framework takes effect.

The council also announced plans for a new round of demonstrations over its 10-point demands, including the finalisation and implementation of regulations governing battery-powered vehicles.

It urged the government to establish a central regulatory authority without further delay and introduce a system covering vehicle registration, driver licensing and route permits.

The council said its objective was to restore order on the roads while protecting the livelihoods of those dependent on battery-powered transport.

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