Directive to ban battery-run rickshaws within three days 

The High Court has ordered to ban battery-run rickshaws in Dhaka metropolitan area within three days. 

The High Court bench of Justice Fatema Najeeb and Justice Mahmudur Razi passed the order on Tuesday (November 19).

About 12 lakh rickshaws are currently plying in the capital. A large part of them are battery-run. In addition, many old pedal rickshaws are being converted to battery-run one. Battery-run rickshaws are more common in the alleys of the capital, but those also ply on the main roads when they get the opportunity.

The number of battery-run rickshaws is high in the capital's Khilgaon, Manda, Basabo, Maniknagar, Rampura, Badda, Sayedabad, Jatrabari, Kadamtali, Sabujbagh, Shyampur, Demra, Mohammadpur, Bachila, Uttara, Bhatara, Dakshinkhan, Uttarkhan, Mirpur and Pallabi areas. 

Apart from these areas, battery-run rickshaws are plying almost everywhere in the capital. As a result, accidents occur regularly. Despite several raids by the two city corporations of Dhaka, the number of the vehicles has not declined.