Fines for Non-Solar E-Rikshaw Charging

Driving green energy and smart urban mobility, the government is making solar power mandatory for charging battery-powered e-rickshaws, backed by tech solutions like geo-fencing, QR codes, and strict fines for non-solar charging.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, Mir Shahe Alam, disclosed these decisions today, August 17, (Monday) following a review meeting on solar energy usage across department agencies. He announced that e-rickshaws are being brought under mandatory registration by City Corporations and Municipalities, with solar charging set as a core compliance condition.

The State Minister stated that BRTA will no longer issue registrations for e-rickshaws; instead, local government bodies will handle them following legislation passed in the National Parliament. Under the under-construction regulations—covering registration fees, renewal fees, and operational terms—vehicles charged using non-solar power sources will face cancellation or non-renewal of registrations alongside legal fines.

To streamline traffic with modern tech, Dhaka's auto-rickshaws will be split into eight zones—four in Dhaka South and four in Dhaka North. Each zone will have distinct vehicle colors, and Geo-fencing technology will prevent e-rickshaws from crossing into unauthorized zones. Traffic police will monitor, enforce geo-fencing parameters, and levy fines for violations.

Vehicles will also be assigned QR codes during registration. The initial framing meeting included experts from BUET, Dhaka Traffic Police, and city corporation representatives. Once vetted by the Prime Minister and the Law Ministry, the policy will be implemented nationwide across 13 city corporations, 330 municipalities, and all upazilas.

//DBTech/SME/MIS//