E-rickshaws will need solar-powered charging to obtain registration, says State Minister Shahe Alam

Battery-powered e-rickshaws and auto-rickshaws will have to use solar power for charging to qualify for registration, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam said on Monday.

He said owners could face fines if the vehicles are charged using electricity from non-solar sources. The government is introducing a new registration system under which city corporations and municipalities, rather than the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), will register the vehicles.

Registration and renewal will be conditional on solar-powered charging, while vehicles using other power sources will not be eligible.

Shahe Alam said the relevant law has already been passed in Parliament, with rules now being drafted to determine registration and renewal fees and other requirements.

Applicants will also need a fitness certificate from BUET’s automobile branch or a government polytechnic institute at the district level. The certificate must be submitted to the relevant city corporation or municipality with a countersignature from traffic police.