Sylhet, Nov 06 (V7N) — Despite a citywide ban, easybikes—battery-powered three-wheelers—are thriving in the suburbs and alleyways of Sylhet, posing an increasing risk to road safety and challenging local regulations. While easybikes are officially restricted, their numbers have surged in areas like Kanishail, Subidbazar Kalapara, Chowkhidekhi, and Kadmatoli, with unauthorized stands sprouting up in Majortila, Shahparan, and Bateshwar along the Sylhet-Tamabil highway.

Many locals, especially in rural areas, depend on easybikes for their low fares and convenient point-to-point travel, unlike CNG autorickshaws that often charge fixed fares to distant stops. This affordability, however, comes at a cost: the lack of formal oversight on easybike operations has led to frequent accidents and road disorder. Easybike drivers, largely unlicensed and often untrained, frequently disregard traffic rules, risking collisions with faster vehicles. Minor accidents are a common occurrence, and the reckless driving of easybike operators has contributed to traffic congestion, especially on routes like Tilagarh-Bateshwar.

Local resident Habibur Rahman voiced concerns over alleged administrative inaction, suggesting that unauthorized stands are able to operate in exchange for informal payments. While Sylhet Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Commissioner of Traffic, BM Ashraf Ullah Taher, confirmed that periodic crackdowns are conducted, these efforts have so far failed to bring lasting results. Fines and legal action against violators have yet to significantly deter easybike drivers from operating in restricted areas.

The free movement of these vehicles continues to raise alarms about public safety, with residents calling for stronger enforcement measures. Without a permanent solution, Sylhet’s streets may face further congestion, environmental degradation, and road safety risks due to the easybike phenomenon.

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