‘Bangla Tesla’ boom drains nearly Tk4,000 crore in power theft a year in Dhaka

Battery-run rickshaws, adorably called “Bangla Tesla”, now dominate the capital’s transport scene, clogging main roads and every alley.

In the absence of an effective public transport system, these autorickshaws have become a popular mode of transport in the megacity. Still, rising accident rates and severe congestion caused by unruly drivers are leading many to turn against the unauthorised vehicles.

Adding to the menace, a silent but rapidly expanding network of illegal charging hubs continues to support the battery-run rickshaws, draining crores of taka from the government every month.

Despite repeated crackdowns, the number of unauthorised charging stations and makeshift garages is rising faster than authorities can trace, fuelling the unregulated growth of an estimated 10 lakh battery-run rickshaws now operating across Dhaka.

Although battery-run rickshaws cannot be registered with any government authority in the capital, including BRTA or the city corporation, the power division has allowed battery charging for these vehicles.

The government has approved around 3,300 charging stations in the capital, of which 2,100 are under Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) and the rest under Dhaka Electricity Supply (Desco) connections.

It has set the power tariff for electric vehicle charging stations at Tk10 per unit while the rate for domestic electricity consumption is above Tk14 for the highest slab.

At the same time, illegal charging points for battery-run rickshaws have sprung up everywhere. These stations use legal electricity connections to fuel the growing chaos of unauthorised rickshaws.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) recently identified 48,136 illegal charging points and 992 garages across eight of the 10 crime divisions in the capital. These garages also have facilities for battery charging.

The DMP list includes 3,983 charging points and 259 garages in areas under seven police stations of Mirpur division. In the Wari division, there are 3,516 such charging points and 136 garages. Gulshan division has 2,643 charging points and 128 garages. Uttara has 1,305 charging points and 72 garages.

Besides, DMP found that the Motijheel division has 1,390 charging points and 60 garages. Lalbagh has 199 charging points and 77 garages. Additionally, police have identified 234 illegal garages in Tejgaon division and 26 in Ramna division.

Crores in transactions in unauthorised sector

What began as a convenient, low-cost mobility solution has now evolved into a sprawling, parallel underground electricity market. Across Dhaka city, hundreds of garages tap illegally into main electricity lines or even streetlight connections, offering overnight charging at Tk100-150 per vehicle.

Every year, an estimated Tk4,000 crore is transacted for charging unauthorised battery-run rickshaws in Dhaka city. For garage owners, it is highly profitable; for the government, it is massive, unmonitored power theft.

Although some of these rickshaw garages provide charging facilities through authorised grid connections, this reporter’s investigation has found that many also use additional illegal connections.

Dhaka’s two city corporations say almost all electric rickshaw charging stations across the city are operating illegally, whether they use meters or unauthorised power connections.

According to Dhaka North City Corporation officials, power distribution company Desco is providing commercial electricity connections to many charging stations inside residential areas without proper scrutiny or approval, which violates existing regulations.

This reporter has visited several areas in the capital including Shawrapara, Mirpur-10, Pallabi, Rupnagar, Kalshi, Bhatara, Notun Bazar, Kalyanpur, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Malibagh, Rampura, Khilgaon, Lalbagh, Chawkbazar and Beribandh, and found the truth about these illegal charging points. All the garages and charging points are operating without any kind of safety maintenance.

Transport experts note that the absence of a clear national policy on battery-run three-wheelers has contributed to the present crisis. They also said that if these autorickshaws in Dhaka cannot be brought under control, the entire transport system of Dhaka will collapse. For this, first of all, all these vehicle-manufacturing centres and charging stations must be closed.

According to two major rickshaw associations, Dhaka’s 50 police station areas now have around five lakh battery-run rickshaws. But the Jatri Kallyan Samiti and some organisations estimated that there are more than 10 lakh battery-run rickshaws in Dhaka and the number is growing every day.

A thriving underground economy

In West Kafrul of Mirpur, a cramped garage housed around 55 battery-run rickshaws, stacked tightly in rows. Of them, 14 belong to the garage owner while the rest are parked and charged daily in exchange for rent.

Taslim Hossain, the garage mechanic, said that the daily electricity bill of the garage is around Tk2,500.

“This used to be a pedal-rickshaw garage. After 5 August last year, everyone switched to autorickshaws. There are several other garages in this area doing the same,” he said.

Drivers, many of whom are migrants from rural districts, sustain this underground ecosystem.

Munna, a driver from Bhola, said, “I rent my vehicle from here. This place used to be a swamp. Now it’s full of autorickshaws. Everyone is doing this business.”

Just 500 metres down the road stands another massive garage with nearly 100 battery-run rickshaws.

Abdul Kaiyum, who manages the facility, said, “All our rickshaws are rental vehicles owned by different financiers. Daily electricity cost is around Tk4,500. Lately the rental income has dropped because too many garages have opened.”

According to them, it costs around Tk70-100 to fully charge a battery-run rickshaw. If the electricity bill is Tk4,500 daily, then 50-60 rickshaws can be charged. However, over 100 rickshaws are charged in this garage at times. This suggests illegal charging is being done behind the legal electricity connection.

Roadside charging stations

Perhaps nowhere is the crisis more visible than in Mirpur’s Rupnagar area, where hundreds of informal garages operate in densely packed alleys. Streetlights and roadside electric poles act as supply points. Thick bundles of wires run down lampposts to charging adapters hanging freely in the open.

Each rickshaw owner pays Tk100-150 per charge. Drivers often line up on the main road at night, parking vehicles in long rows as they connect to illegal lines.

Sahab Ali Bepari, a driver from Rupnagar, explained, “I pay Tk120 daily at a nearby garage. Bigger vehicles pay Tk150. Earlier this area had only 15-20 garages. Now every alley has one.”

He added that house owners have converted ground floors into garages: “One building used to rent for Tk25,000. Now as a garage it gets Tk40,000. No hassle of gas or water bills.”

Near the National Zoo, dozens of rickshaws were found charging directly from roadside electric poles.

Russel, owner of a garage near the National Zoo, insisted his operation is legal: “I have a meter. But most garages nearby use illegal lines. It is impossible to run a garage without an illegal connection. Desco people visit, but it gets managed.”

In Tejgaon’s Kunipara Road, both sides of the street were lined with parked autorickshaws connected to dangling charging cables.

A garage worker, requesting anonymity, said, “Meters are installed in most garages, but only a few vehicles use them. Almost all roadside rickshaws charge from illegal lines. We keep the meter running to show compliance, but illegal lines run the business.”

What the authorities say

Shahadul Islam, Sub-Divisional Engineer, S&D Operation (Rupnagar Circle), Desco, said, “We have received complaints about illegal charging points from our area before and now we are regularly conducting drives in the morning, noon and night. If we find illegal connections, they are fined and the connection is severed.”

Mohammad Haider Ali, Executive Director (Fin), Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC), said that they are also aware of the illegal connections and conduct regular drives.

He said, “Our magistrates and officials conduct drives and punish the rule breakers. But the government needs to decide on battery-run rickshaws.”

According to Desco and DPDC officials, system loss in Dhaka’s electricity distribution amounts to around 5.5%.

Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Mohammad Azaz said, “We will sit with Desco very soon and ask them to take immediate action regarding the electricity connections they have provided to these charging stations. In addition, we are preparing to launch a coordinated crackdown to shut down all illegal charging stations operating within our jurisdiction.”

Dhaka South City officials stated that they have trained the drivers, but the licensing system is not yet open. All of the battery-run rickshaws are now illegally operating.

Govt prepares new guidelines

To regain control, the government has drafted the “Electric Three-Wheeler Management Guidelines 2025.”

The guideline’s key features include mandatory registration, fitness certificates, driver licensing, a ban on operating on highways, strict speed-limit compliance, manufacturing permits, crackdowns on illegal charging stations and more.

A Local Government Division official said, “The draft has been sent to the law ministry. Once approved, it will be gazetted.”

This story was published on The Business Standard