Registration to begin in 13 city corporations from Monday; maximum speed capped at 25kmph

 
No e-rickshaw will be allowed to operate on roads without registration, State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam has said, announcing that registration of battery-powered rickshaws will begin in all 13 city corporations from Monday.
 
The process will be completed in phases, he said while speaking to journalists at the Secretariat on Sunday (November 1).
 
The state minister sought to reassure owners of rickshaws currently operating on the roads, saying they need not panic. Both legally and illegally operating rickshaws will be allowed to continue plying for the time being. However, under the new rules, all e-rickshaws must be registered to operate on the roads.
 
He said the government had formulated regulations to control the movement of low-speed battery-powered e-rickshaws in city corporation areas.
 
Under the regulations, an individual can register up to five e-rickshaws through one or more city corporations using a single National Identity Card (NID).
 
Regarding speed limits, Mir Shahe Alam said every e-rickshaw must be equipped with a speedometer. The maximum permitted speed will be 25 kilometres per hour. However, the speed limit will be reduced to 15 kilometres per hour in areas around schools, hospitals, religious institutions and crowded public places.
 
Each registered e-rickshaw will have an economic lifespan of 12 years from the date of registration, he added.
 
The minister also said existing rickshaws would not be taken off the roads immediately.
 
He said e-rickshaw batteries must be charged at designated charging stations. Legal action will be taken against those who charge batteries using electricity illegally. Besides, batteries used in e-rickshaws cannot be dismantled without clearance from the Department of Environment.
 
Outlining the registration fees, the state minister said a two-passenger e-rickshaw would require a one-time registration fee of Tk8,000 and an annual renewal fee of Tk4,000.
 
For a four-passenger e-rickshaw, the one-time registration fee has been set at Tk10,000, while the annual renewal fee will be Tk5,000.
 
Mir Shahe Alam further said the government would finalise a zone-based operating system, designate specific routes and introduce separate colour codes for e-rickshaws to regulate their movement.