State to Appeal Against Ban on Battery-Powered Rickshaws
The state is set to appeal to the Appellate Division against the High Court’s order to halt the operation of battery-powered autorickshaws in Dhaka Metropolitan Area.
Deputy Attorney General Noor Muhammad Azmi confirmed the move on Sunday (November 24), stating that preparations for the appeal are underway.
Last Tuesday (November 19), the High Court directed authorities to stop the operation of battery-powered autorickshaws in Dhaka within three days. Additionally, the court issued a rule asking why the authorities’ inaction in banning these vehicles in Dhaka Metropolitan Area should not be declared unlawful.
The directive came in response to a writ petition filed by owners of pedal rickshaws. Since the ruling, drivers of battery-powered autorickshaws have been protesting the decision.
According to the Dhaka Autorickshaw Workers’ Union, there are currently at least 800,000 battery-powered rickshaws operating on the streets. Despite lacking permission to operate on main roads, these vehicles continue to ply illegally. Over the past two months, law enforcement has taken action against more than 100,000 such rickshaws.
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