The government's move to bring electrically-powered vehicles like three-wheeler easy-bikes and electric cars under regulation is likely to be delayed further, as the ministry concerned decided to take Indian practices into account before taking final decision.

As per the latest decision of the road transport and bridges ministry, a four-member team consisting officials from Road Transport and Highway Division (RTHD) and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) will visit India to observe firsthand about registration process and operation of electricity-run vehicles, officials said.

BRTA has been asked to give a “self-sufficient” proposal after the visit by the end of this month, they said. But, it may not happen as per the schedule, as the date for India visit of the team has not been fixed yet, BRTA officials added.

“We will go to India for spot visit and will try to know registration process of electricity-run vehicles there,” BRTA spokesperson Mahbub-E-Rabbani and a member of the team, told The Daily Star on Thursday.

With the number of electricity-run vehicles increasing gradually in the country, the government has decided to bring those under regulation and BRTA, upon preparing a draft guidelines in this regard, sent it to the ministry for approval in November last year.

As per the draft, each electric vehicle has to obtain registration, fitness certificate and route permit like those required for fuel-run vehicle. The government will fix the lifetime and fares of electric vehicles used for rental services.

An electric vehicle means it is run by electric power stored in a rechargeable battery, as per the draft. However, battery-run rickshaws and bicycles will not come under the purview of the guidelines.

But, at a meeting on January 6, Nazrul Islam, secretary of RTHD, who presided over the meeting, said the issues mentioned in the draft guidelines are already there in existing laws.

He said electricity-run vehicles can be controlled with section 53 of Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1983, so a new guideline may not be required. He rather proposed that a team would visit India.

Members of the team are: Nur Mohammad Mazumder, joint secretary of the division; Mahbub-E-Rabbani, director (road safety) of BRTA; Shafiquzzaman Bhuiyan, deputy director (engineering) of BRTA and Sanaul Haque, assistant director (engineering) of BRTA.

Another member of the committee said they received a letter about the tour on January 14, and the date for India visit has not been fixed yet.

About the January 31 deadline, he said, “I don't think it would be possible.”

He said one member of the committee was abroad and they have to talk to Indian officials over the visit, so it would take time.

Although a very few electric cars have been operating in the country now, around 10 lakh battery-run easy-bikes -- battery-powered three-wheelers used as public transport -- are plying the streets, said people involved in the transport sector.

The Road Transport and Highways Division had taken the initiative to formulate the guidelines after receiving applications from some individuals for registration of electric cars.

On April 30 last year, the division wrote to the BRTA to take necessary measures for preparing the guidelines to allow registration of such vehicles. BRTA sent the draft guideline to the division on November 25 last year.