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We need a proper policy, not a blanket ban on battery-powered rickshaws

We need a proper policy, not a blanket ban on battery-powered rickshaws

The government must consider both the safety of passengers and the livelihood of drivers, as well as the needs of this city

IMAGE: STAR

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IMAGE: STAR

Rushed decisions and lax implementation have plagued policy efforts on battery-powered rickshaws in Bangladesh. Over the years, we have seen how the use of these vehicles, whose fragile nature and unsustainably high speeds often pose safety risks, has led to blanket bans or sketchy regulations, but such efforts prove futile as drivers continually return to the road. streets. Supreme Court’s directive The ban on battery-powered rickshaws on the streets of Dhaka on Tuesday and the inevitable backlash from drivers looks set to continue this cycle. A real solution that takes into account both the safety of passengers and the livelihood of drivers, as well as the needs of this developing city, remains elusive.

According to media reports, agitated drivers staged demonstrations again on Thursday protesting the Supreme Court directive. do not follow Protests in Doyaganj the other day at Jatrabari, they phased blockades It causes major traffic disruptions at various junctions in Agargaon, Kallyanpur, Gabtoli, Mirpur, Mohammadpur and Rampura. They too obstruction of railway tracks For hours in Mohakhali. If past trends continue, authorities may again accept their demands and allow them to operate as before.

We propose a three-pronged policy directive that includes technically improving the structure of battery-powered rickshaws and equipping them with necessary suspension and braking features; detailed guidelines on where and to what extent they can operate; and appropriate regulations, including formalization of registration, driver training and other operational matters.

But this will neither solve the problem nor resolve the deeper issues that perpetuate the problem. The only problem here is not that enforcement is weak; The industry also suffers from a lack of proper regulation. There is currently no official data on the number of mechanized and battery-powered rickshaws and other illegal three-wheelers. But unofficial predictions show There may be more than six million such vehicles, about one million of which are in Dhaka city. The shortage of affordable public transport on demand has led to an uncontrollable proliferation of battery-powered rickshaws. The Supreme Court first issued a nationwide ban in July 2014, but successive attempts to enforce it or restrict their use have failed. As huge investments have already been made, it is clear that an outright ban without alternative employment for those involved in these investments is not a wise solution.

This doesn’t mean we should continue to ignore security concerns. According to the Road Safety Foundation, motorcycle accidents cause the highest number of road accidents in the country, followed by accidents involving three-wheelers, including battery-powered rickshaws. Latest deaths in Dhaka Student at Jahangirnagar University on Tuesday and another The woman in Shahbag had previously brought up the issue again. It is clear that things cannot continue as before. While many have recommended phasing out these rickshaws, we believe this will only address safety concerns without addressing what the city actually needs.

It needs something faster than traditional rickshaws, but inherently safer than the respectable battery rickshaws. Therefore, we propose a three-pronged policy directive that includes technically improving the structure of battery-powered rickshaws, equipping them with necessary suspension and braking features; detailed guidelines on where and to what extent they can operate; and appropriate regulations, including formalization of registration, driver training and other operational matters. And of course we must ensure that these regulations are strictly enforced. If done right, this type of vehicle can be an important part of urban transportation. We call on the government to approach this issue with the sensitivity it requires.