Dhaka, August 14, 2026Authorities are preparing to introduce an area-based movement system for battery-powered rickshaws in the capital as part of a broader effort to bring the city’s informal transport sector under a more structured framework. The proposed system would restrict rickshaws to designated areas and could eventually include road-specific and day-specific movement rules
The intention is straightforward: prevent the uncontrolled movement of thousands of vehicles across the entire metropolitan area.
Salam said the authorities first need to identify how and why the rickshaw problem has developed before attempting to resolve it. The issue, he argued, is fundamentally a municipal responsibility and therefore requires a municipal solution.
The administrator pointed to the current situation on Dhaka’s roads, where battery-powered rickshaws can often be seen travelling in different directions, including against traffic flow. Many drivers, according to him, do not comply with traffic regulations or basic movement discipline.
The cumulative effect is significant.
When large numbers of unregulated vehicles converge on already congested roads, even relatively small disruptions can trigger wider traffic bottlenecks. The problem becomes particularly acute on narrow roads, intersections and routes that were never designed to accommodate such a dense concentration of slow-moving vehicles.
Registration and Licensing to Become Central
The DSCC is also considering bringing rickshaw operations under a formal registration system.
Salam attributed part of the growing pressure on Dhaka’s transport network to migration from different parts of the country. Natural disasters such as floods and river erosion have displaced people from their homes, prompting some to move to the capital in search of livelihoods.
Some find work as rickshaw drivers. Others use vans to sell vegetables or other goods.
While these activities provide essential income for many families, the administrator said uncontrolled migration and informal economic activity are placing additional pressure on the capital’s limited public space.
He raised a fundamental urban-planning question: whether Dhaka can realistically accommodate an unrestricted influx of people seeking employment.
That question lies at the heart of the proposed registration framework. Authorities believe that a system of licensing and registration could provide a clearer picture of the number of rickshaws operating in the capital and help regulate their movement.
Demra Rickshaws Would Not Be Allowed to Travel Freely Across Dhaka
Salam offered a specific example to illustrate how the proposed zoning mechanism could work.
A rickshaw operating in Demra, he said, would not be permitted to travel all the way to New Market. Instead, Dhaka would be divided into defined operational zones.
Authorities could subsequently allocate particular days to different categories of vehicles and designate certain roads where rickshaws would either be permitted or prohibited.
Under the proposed system, a Demra rickshaw would not be allowed to operate freely in New Market, while rickshaws from other areas would similarly face restrictions.
The objective is to prevent unrestricted cross-city movement while maintaining a functioning transport option for people who depend on rickshaws for short-distance travel.
The system would also require licensing. Salam said no one would be allowed to operate a rickshaw in Dhaka without a valid licence.
Rickshaws coming from Keraniganj into Dhaka would not be permitted to operate without authorisation, nor would rickshaws from Demra be allowed to cross waterways and enter other zones at will. Similarly, rickshaws operating under Dhaka North City Corporation would not be permitted to move indiscriminately into areas controlled by DSCC.
Legal Framework Under Development
The proposed reforms cannot be implemented solely through administrative directives. Authorities are therefore working on the necessary laws and regulations.
According to Salam, the relevant ministry is in the process of preparing the legal framework. Once the legislation is formulated and sent to the city corporation, the authorities will proceed with implementation.
He acknowledged that establishing a comprehensive area-based system would take time and called for cooperation from the media and the wider public.
The challenge is substantial. Registration, licensing, zoning and enforcement would all need to function in tandem. Without effective monitoring, even a carefully designed system could become porous.
Bus Transport Also Targeted for Reform
The proposed reforms are not limited to battery-powered rickshaws.
The DSCC is also working to restore discipline to bus operations, particularly concerning where buses stop and where passengers are allowed to board.
Before Eid, authorities had attempted to discourage buses from stopping indiscriminately and picking up passengers wherever convenient. The aim is to establish designated arrangements for bus stops and passenger boarding.
Salam said buses should not be allowed to stop wherever drivers choose, nor should passengers be picked up from arbitrary locations.
Discussions have been held with transport-sector stakeholders, and authorities have given them time to adjust to the proposed arrangements. The administrator expressed hope that the transport system would become considerably more structured within several months.
Citizens Also Have a Role
Urban congestion cannot be resolved by administrative action alone, according to Salam.
He urged residents to behave responsibly and cooperate with efforts to establish a more orderly metropolitan environment. Building a liveable, attractive and disciplined capital requires participation from both government agencies and citizens.
That emphasis is significant because traffic management is ultimately a collective enterprise. Rules imposed without public compliance are unlikely to produce durable results.
Dhaka’s transport ecosystem is also deeply interconnected. Rickshaws, buses, pedestrians, private vehicles, street vendors and informal businesses all compete for finite road space.
Any meaningful reform must therefore consider the entire urban matrix rather than treating individual transport modes in isolation.
National Policy for Battery-Powered Rickshaws
The proposed Dhaka initiative forms part of a wider policy discussion.
State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam said steps have been taken to formulate a policy for managing battery-powered rickshaws in areas governed by city corporations, municipalities, upazila parishads and union parishads.
He said the policy is being prepared in accordance with the Local Government (City Corporation) Act, 2009 and the Local Government (City Corporation) (Amendment) Act, 2026.
According to the minister, effective implementation of the policy could help control urban congestion, restore discipline to traffic movement and improve road safety.
A formal licensing and registration mechanism through local government institutions could also generate revenue for the state.
The government is additionally considering amendments to existing regulations to modernise the framework and establish a coordinated licensing authority for city corporations, municipalities, upazila parishads and union parishads.
A More Structured Urban Transport Future
The proposed area-based rickshaw system represents an attempt to confront one of Dhaka’s most persistent urban-management dilemmas: how to preserve affordable, accessible transport while preventing unregulated growth from overwhelming the road network.
If implemented effectively, zoning, licensing and registration could create a clearer operational structure for battery-powered rickshaws. But enforcement will be decisive.
The success of the initiative will depend on accurate registration, transparent licensing, consistent monitoring and cooperation from drivers and passengers alike. It will also require coordination among city corporations, ministries and other local government institutions.
For a city as dense and dynamic as Dhaka, there is no single remedy for congestion. Yet the proposed framework offers a distinct direction: rather than allowing battery-powered rickshaws to operate without geographical boundaries, authorities want to establish a system governed by zones, roads, days and licences.
The broader ambition is equally clear. By bringing rickshaws and buses into a more disciplined transport framework, authorities hope to reclaim some order from the capital’s increasingly congested streets and move Dhaka towards a safer, more liveable and better-regulated urban future.
