Electric-run vehicles’ guideline: BRTA seeks opinion from stakeholders

As part of their initiave to finalise the draft guidelines for the regulation of electric-run vehicles, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has decided to seek written and specific opinions from stakeholders within seven days.

Upon receiving those, a technical committee will scrutinise them and make necessary additions and changes to the draft and finalise it, officials said.

The decisions were taken at a stakeholders' meeting held at BRTA headquarters yesterday. With BRTA Chairman Nur Mohammad Mazumder in the chair, representatives from different ministries, divisions, major auto importers, and other relevant agencies took part the meeting.

At a time when countries across the world are promoting production and sales of electric vehicles, Bangladesh does not even have a guideline to regulate them.

In light of this, and after a number of people applied to register electric cars, the draft guideline was formulated and submitted to the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry back in November 2018.

Following some complications in the draft's finalising, the ministry decided to amend The Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1983 to register electric vehicles, sources said. Only two such cars have been registered so far, they added.

"But the amended rules do not cover issues like how charging stations will be operated and how used batteries will be managed. The ministry has asked us to formulate the draft guidelines incorporating all of these issues," BRTA chairman Nur Mohammad Mazumder said.

As per the draft, electric vehicles must be registered and obtain fitness certificates and route permits like any other vehicle.

Although the number of electric vehicles in the country is low, there are almost 10 lakh battery-powered three-wheelers on the roads, said transport sector insiders.

However, as per the draft, battery-run rickshaws and bicycles do not come under the purview of the guidelines.