HC orders to halt battery-run rickshaws in Dhaka within 3 working days

The High Court today directed government authorities to take necessary steps to stop the plying of battery-run rickshaws in Dhaka city within three working days in a bid to reduce road accidents.
The court also issued a rule, asking the authorities to explain why their failure to halt the operation of these rickshaws should not be declared illegal.
The bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi issued the directive following a writ petition filed by the Greater Dhaka City Corporation Rickshaw Owners Unity Alliance, challenging the authorities’ inaction in stopping the unlicensed battery-run rickshaws in the city.
Petitioner’s lawyer Shanjid Siddique told the court that these rickshaws are operating in Dhaka without valid licences. He argued that the vehicles, which travel at high speeds in several areas of the capital, are causing accidents and public distress.
He also pointed out that the battery-operated rickshaws consume a significant amount of electricity to charge their batteries, contributing to the ongoing power shortages in the country.
Siddique further noted that the Dhaka city corporations do not have the authority to issue licences for the operation of these vehicles.
The lawyer informed the court that the High Court had already banned the plying of mechanised and battery-run rickshaws nationwide in July 2014, due to their lack of proper licences.
However, since the court’s directive had not been implemented, the President and General Secretary of the Dhaka City Corporation Rickshaw Owners Unity Alliance, Zahirul Islam Masum and Momin Ali, respectively, filed the writ petition seeking immediate action.