Rickshaw pullers will not be illegal if they have licence: Asif Mahmud

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain has said that rickshaw pullers are being brought under a licensing system so no one will be able to label them as illegal or harass them.

The adviser made this remark while speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of a training program on low-speed battery operated three-wheeler (e-rickshaw) at the auditorium of Nagar Bhaban of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) on Saturday.

“Our rickshaw pullers were among the key participants in the July mass uprising. By incorporating them into a licensing framework, we can ensure that they are no longer considered illegal, nor they will face harassment, allowing them to ply rickshaw with rightful civic recognition,” he said.

He said both rickshaw driver licensing and vehicle registrations system will be made available online to eliminate opportunities for corruption. 

Initially, he said, a fixed number of e-rickshaws will run within Zone-1 of Dhaka's two city corporation areas and the number will be gradually increased.

Prior to the programme, he inspected newly designed battery-powered rickshaws showcased on the ground floor of Nagar Bhaban.

Local Government Division Secretary Rezaul Maksud Jahedi presided over the function while Chief Adviser’s special assistants Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb and Khoda Baksh Chowdhury, and administrators of two city corporations were present.