Battery-powered rickshaws may return to Dhaka roads within a month

A Division Bench of the Supreme Court today maintained the status quo for one month in view of the Supreme Court’s ruling asking the government to take steps to stop the operation of battery-powered autorickskaws on Dhaka roads.

Justice Md Rezaul Haque, judge of the SC Appellate Division, said that during this period, battery-powered rickshaws and auto-rickshaws will be allowed to ply in the city as the livelihood of their owners and drivers is linked to this case.

The high court judge also asked the HC to quash its order in this regard within one month.

The Division Bench passed this order following an application filed by the government seeking stay of implementation of the HC order.

Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman appeared for the government while advocate Shanjid Siddique defended the petitioners during the hearing of the petition.

On November 20, the HC directed the concerned government authorities to take necessary steps to stop the operation of battery-powered rickshaws and auto-rickshaws on the streets of the capital within three days in order to reduce the number of road accidents.

He also issued a regulation asking the authorities to explain why failure to stop the movement of these vehicles should not be considered illegal.

The order was passed by a division bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi following a writ petition filed by Greater Dhaka City Corporation Rickshaw Owners Unity Alliance.

The petition challenges the lack of action by the authorities to prevent unlicensed battery-powered rickshaws from passing through the city, the petitioners’ lawyer, Barrister Shanjid Siddique, told The Daily Star that day.