Battery-run vehicles add to Khulna’s power woes

Despite the energy crisis, hundreds of  battery-powered vehicles, easy-bikes and vans are plying Khulna roads consuming huge amounts of electricity everyday.

Locals have urged authorities to take strict measures against them as this is a luxury they can't afford amid the ongoing crisis.

According to Khulna's traffic department, there are over  30,000 battery driven  easy bikes in the city. There are no statistics on the actual figures of electricity-powered vehicles, as they are mostly unregistered.

Many traders, who set up illegal lines to charge these vehicles have benefitted from this situation, earning thousands each day.

These businesses don't even have the approval to charge vehicles, as they only have residential meter approval from West Zone Power Distribution Company (WZPDC).

According to experts and easy bike drivers, five batteries are used to operate an easy bike, with a 200 amperes capacity each. Rickshaws and vans use 4 batteries, which are 120 amperes each.

Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Khulna University of Engineering & Technology Kuet and WZPDC director, said 1 kilowatt of electricity is required to charge a 1,000 ampere battery for one hour.

So, 10 kilowatts of electricity is needed to charge an easy bike for 10 hours .

If 30,000 easy bikes need to be charged daily in the city, then 300,000 kilowatts of electricity is used for charging. The government is losing huge revenue as a result.

Robiul Alom, an easy bike driver of Khalishpur's Notun Rasta area, said he has to pay Tk 14 per unit from a charging point at Goalkhali and the vehicle takes a minimum of 8 to 10 hours to get fully charged.

Md Moshiur Rahman Milon, general secretary of Easy Bike Sramik League, said they don't know the exact figure of easy bikes, but it might be over 25,000.

He defended easy-bikes, pointing out its affordability and popularity among low and middle income groups

Sheikh Ashraf Uz Zaman, president of Greater Khulna Development Struggle Coordinating Committee, said, "Huge amounts of electricity is being consumed by illegal battery-run three-wheelers. If we can control these, the power shortage will reduce."

He demanded that the district authorities conduct drives against these illegal charging points.

Tanveer Ahmed, assistant director of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), said they're aware that illegal battery-run vehicles are plying Khulna roads and highways.

BRTA doesn't give registrations and route permits for easy-bikes and battery-run rickshaws.

However, some local government bodies -- union parishads, pourasavas and city corporations -- have unofficially permitted them to ply, as they're popular in use due to their cheaper fares, he added.

Rabiul Alam, license officer of Khulna City Corporation (KCC), said KCC issued license for 8,000 battery-run easy-bikes in the city and is in process of approving another 2,000.

Mohammad Tazul Islam, deputy commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police (Traffic), said it's impossible to control unregistered easy bikes for manpower shortage.

"The city corporation should play a major role to control it. Before giving out licenses, they should keep the traffic department in loop," he added.

Azharul Islam, managing director of WZPDC, said  they conduct drives against those who are doing commercial business with the permission of residential connection to charge battery-run vehicles.

He claimed that due to the illegal charging, WZPDC couldn't prepare the total electricity demand data accurately many times.