Interim government has filed an appeal against the High Court's order to cease the operation of battery-operated rickshaws within the Dhaka metropolitan area within three days.
The appeal was submitted on Monday (25 November) and sources from the attorney general’s office indicate that a hearing on the matter is likely to be held on Monday in the Chamber Court of the Appellate Division.
This legal development follows a directive issued by the High Court on Tuesday last week.
After hearing a writ petition filed by the Greater Dhaka City Corporation Rickshaw Owners’ Alliance, representing pedal-rickshaw drivers, the High Court bench comprising Justice Fatema Nazib and Justice Mahmudur Raji ordered the cessation of battery-operated rickshaws in the capital.
Barrister HM Sanjid Siddique represented the writ petitioners during the High Court proceedings, with Barrister Tahsina Tasnim Mridu serving as the filing lawyer.
On behalf of the state, Deputy Attorney Generals Nur Muhammad Azmi and Akhtar Hossain Md Abdul Wahab argued the case.
The High Court’s decision, and the subsequent state appeal, underscore the growing debate over the use of battery-operated rickshaws in Dhaka, with competing interests of sustainability, livelihoods, and urban mobility at stake.
