Dhaka, April 12 -- "I am happy now as I can support my family of three dependents, including two daughters," boasted Mr Ruhul Amin, a disabled Dhaka e-rickshaw driver, hailing from Jessore District, who lost one leg in a bus accident. "After the accident, I used to plead for help from relatives and friends, but I don't do it anymore," added Mr Amin. This short testimony captures why these vehicles matter. They put cash in pockets and food on tables.

E-rickshaws are now integral to Dhaka's transport system, providing direct jobs for more than a million poor people, facilitating last-mile connectivity, yet are blamed for traffic chaos, also creating huge environmental and safety challenges. The task for policymakers is therefore to formali...