Dhaka battery rickshaw boom fuels risky jobs lead

Battery-run rickshaws are transforming Dhaka’s transport and youth livelihoods, but weak regulation is driving unsafe work, traffic chaos, rising electricity demand and toxic lead pollution threatening public health nationwide impacts.

Rahim Mia, a 22-year-old former farmer from Monpura in Bhola district, was forced to leave his ancestral land due to river erosion, repeated cyclones and rising salinity. Today, he drives a battery-run rickshaw in Dhaka. “Switching to a battery rickshaw has doubled my daily income. I can finally support my family,” he said at Farmgate. “But the streets are dangerous. Accidents happen almost every day and there is no proper traffic control.”

Battery-run rickshaws have surged across the capital, offering higher income opportunities for young drivers while introducing serious safety, environmental and socioeconomic challenges. They are reshaping Dhaka’s streets and livelihoods, providing opportunities for vulnerable youth like Rahim Mia, yet their rapid growth underscores the urgent need for regulation, infrastructure planning and environmental safeguards.

On Sunday, Inovishon Consulting presented a research report, Urban Mobility Study: Rickshaws in Transition, at a discussion at the Bangladesh Development Bank building. The study surveyed 384 drivers, 392 passengers and 63 garage owners to assess the rise of battery-run rickshaws and their impact on the city.

Key findings reveal that battery-powered rickshaw drivers have an average age of 38, slightly younger than pedal rickshaw drivers, who average 42 years. Remarkably, 75 percent of battery rickshaw drivers are new to the profession. Drivers of battery rickshaws earn an average of 880 taka per day, compared to 594 taka for pedal rickshaw drivers. Yet many battery rickshaw drivers rent their vehicles and pay up to half of their income in rental fees, which often leaves their net earnings lower than pedal rickshaw pullers.

Financial vulnerability is widespread. “Most battery rickshaw drivers rely on rentals and microfinance loans. The average debt is nearly eighty thousand taka,” said Rubaiyat Sarwar, managing director of Inovishon Consulting. Pedal rickshaw drivers are slightly better off, but debts remain high. Many drivers also lack access to microcredit due to the absence of fixed addresses, forcing institutions to lend to garage owners instead.

Passengers overwhelmingly prefer battery-run rickshaws for short trips of one to three kilometers, citing speed, affordability and availability. Yet 30 percent of passengers believe these vehicles are more accident-prone and 62 percent attribute traffic congestion to battery rickshaws. When asked about regulation, 57 percent supported strict control, 22 percent favored a complete ban and 34 percent believed battery rickshaws should be allowed only on narrow streets.

Professor Mosleh Uddin Hasan of BUET emphasized, “You cannot simply blame rickshaws for accidents. When vehicles with different speeds share the same roads, collisions are inevitable. Pedal rickshaws, with their iconic paintings, are part of Dhaka’s UNESCO heritage. We cannot erase that history.”

Fahim Mashrur, founder of Voice for Reform, noted that following political and economic upheavals in 2024, temporary businesses closed and young people lost work. “Battery rickshaws became an opportunity. It is better than unemployment, but the risks are real,” he said.

Additional DIG and traffic enforcement officer Selim Khan pointed to broader traffic issues. “Footpaths and roadside areas are clogged with illegal shops and structures. Rickshaws alone are not the problem. We have nearly two million battery-run rickshaws in Dhaka, but no designated parking. Drivers park anywhere, creating hazards.”

Speakers at the dissemination discussion emphasized long-term planning, licensing and driver training. They stressed coordinated efforts among government departments, vehicle owners, drivers and financial institutions.

Drivers themselves are calling for legal recognition. On Monday, rickshaw and van drivers staged a road blockade in Badda, demanding permission for roughly 241,000 three-wheeled battery-run vehicles across Dhaka. The blockade caused severe congestion, with drivers asserting that proper regulation would make streets safer for everyone.

Dhaka’s battery rickshaw boom offers livelihoods and a path out of poverty for many youth but comes with high human, environmental and economic stakes. Policymakers face the urgent challenge of safeguarding both people and the city while preserving Dhaka’s heritage and public health.

Battery-run rickshaws also pose severe environmental and public health risks. They rely on lead-acid batteries that are often recycled unsafely. Thousands of illegal recycling facilities release lead into soil, water and the food chain. Bangladesh ranks fourth globally for lead exposure, with over 36 million children affected. Chronic lead poisoning is reducing IQ points and threatening the health and productivity of future generations.

“Every year, roughly 800 million kilograms of lead enter the environment from vehicles like these. Children, farmers and the public are exposed,” said Dr. Md. Mahbubur Rahman of ICDDR,B. Sohanur Rahman, executive coordinator of YouthNet Global, added, “Battery rickshaws expose children and workers to lead pollution, intersecting with climate-induced displacement and youth unemployment. These drivers need decent work, social protection and proper environmental safeguards. Without these measures, the system is failing both people and the city.”

Electricity demand is another pressing concern. One million battery-run rickshaws consume roughly 1,000 megawatts daily, while thousands of largely unregulated charging stations operate across Dhaka and other districts. Mozammel Haque of the Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association warned, “If charging points are unplanned and batteries dumped unsafely, public health, road safety and the power grid are all at risk. Clear rules are urgently needed.”

Sohanur concluded, “We must balance economic opportunity, youth employment, cultural heritage, environmental protection and road safety.”