Battery Rickshaws to Get QR Codes Under New Policy

The government is bringing battery-powered autorickshaws and easy bikes across the country under a structured regulatory framework, with designated routes and digital tracking systems, including QR codes, planned for registered vehicles.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced the measures in Parliament on Monday while responding to a notice raised under Rule 71 on the uncontrolled operation of battery-powered three-wheelers.

The new policy aims to balance employment, road safety and environmental protection without disrupting the livelihoods of people dependent on the sector.

Under the proposed system, specific routes will be designated for battery-powered autorickshaws, and the vehicles will not be allowed to operate on highways or major roads. Requirements for safer and more environmentally friendly batteries will also be introduced.

Salahuddin said registration fraud had been a major problem in the sector, with a single registration number sometimes being used to operate 10 to 20 vehicles.

To prevent such irregularities, each registered autorickshaw will be equipped with a QR code and digital tracking system, allowing authorities to identify individual vehicles and prevent multiple vehicles from operating under a single registration.

The minister said the government had already formulated rules and a policy in consultation with the state minister for local government.

“We want to ensure road safety and protect the environment without disrupting employment,” he said.

The issue was raised in Parliament by reserved-seat lawmaker Rehana Akter Ranu, who called for the uncontrolled operation of battery-powered autorickshaws to be brought under a clear regulatory framework rather than being banned outright.

She said an estimated 50–80 lakh electric three-wheelers were operating across Bangladesh and consuming around 5 percent of the country’s electricity. She also pointed to the large number of illegal charging points and the resulting pressure on the power grid.

According to the lawmaker, Bangladesh has only around 3,000 legal charging points, while Dhaka alone has more than 48,000 illegal charging points. She said illegal electricity use for charging the vehicles was causing annual revenue losses of around Tk 4,000 crore.

Ranu also raised concerns over the environmental and health risks associated with the unsafe disposal of lead-acid batteries, as well as accidents involving inexperienced drivers and defective braking systems.

She urged the government to preserve the livelihoods of millions of people dependent on the vehicles while introducing registration, licensing, designated routes and modern traffic management.

The government has been working for several weeks on a broader policy covering registration, fitness certification, charging stations, driver licensing and route restrictions for battery-powered rickshaws.

Salahuddin said the electricity authorities would also strengthen monitoring to prevent power theft and ensure accountability.

He added that AI-based cameras had already been installed at traffic signals in Dhaka and that the government planned to expand the use of modern technology in traffic management.