RICKSHAW

The Moving Canvas of Bangladesh

More Than a Ride
A Story Painted in Color

A rickshaw is a mode of transport, with options ranging from human-pulled or cycle rickshaws to auto rickshaws, that is often used for short distances or as a tourist experience. From early mornings to late nights, the rickshaw remains one of the most familiar sights across Bangladesh — lively, colorful, and deeply human.

More Than a Ride
A Story Painted in Color

The Evolution of a Cultural Icon

Explore the milestones that shaped the rickshaw into one of Bangladesh’s most cherished cultural treasures.

1940 – The Beginning

The first rickshaws appeared in Dhaka around 1940, brought by returning servicemen from Burma (Myanmar).

1950’s – Locally Made

A sturdier rickshaw made in local Dhaka workshops. It now has metal frames, spoked wheels, and a padded seat with colored cloth.

1960’s – Birth of Art

In this decade, rickshaw backs began featuring colorful paintings of film stars, nature, and animals — marking the birth of rickshaw art.

1970’s – Symbol of the Streets

Rickshaws became the dominant mode of short-distance transport in Dhaka, deeply embedded in daily urban life and street culture.

1980’s – Flourishing Craft

Rickshaw art grew bolder and more detailed, with painters developing signature styles using bright enamel paints and intricate patterns.

1990’s – Peak Popularity

An explosion in rickshaw numbers and artwork diversity, reflecting social themes, pop culture, and rural dreams in city life.

2000’s – Modern Pressures

Motorized vehicles increased, but rickshaws adapted with lighter frames and updated designs to survive growing traffic congestion.

2010’s – Cultural Recognition

Rickshaw art gained international attention as a form of folk art, showcased in exhibitions and cultural studies.

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The Rickshaw Makers

Behind every rickshaw lies the passion of painters and
craftsmen who turn metal into moving art.

The Rickshaw Artists:
Painters of Motion

The vibrant paintings on a Bangladeshi rickshaw are more than decoration—they are identity, pride, and storytelling in motion. From romantic movie scenes to tigers, flowers, and dreams of distant lands, every brushstroke reflects the artist’s imagination and connection to the streets of Dhaka. Each artist works in a small, paint-splattered workshop filled with the scent of enamel and the rhythm of hand-beaten tin. These painters don’t just decorate—they narrate Bangladesh’s soul on wheels.

The Rickshaw Builders:
Masters of Craft and Steel

Before the colors come alive, a skeleton of steel and sweat takes shape. The rickshaw builders forge, weld, and assemble each frame by hand—turning metal rods into graceful, sturdy vehicles that define urban Bangladesh. They measure not in millimeters, but in muscle memory and experience. Every bolt is tightened with care; every seat is wrapped in weathered vinyl that will carry countless lives through the buzzing city. These makers are engineers of tradition, crafting a vehicle that’s more than transport—it’s heritage on three wheels.

The Untold Stories of Rickshaw Pullers

Rahman Mia

Dhaka

I wake up while the sky is still dark and quiet. The city is softer then, before the horns and shouting begin. I wash my face at the tube well and stretch legs that never fully rest. The rickshaw is waiting for me, just like every morning. It is rented, not mine, but I treat it like it listens. By sunrise, the roads fill up and my body finds its rhythm. Passengers climb in, each carrying their own rush. Some talk on phones, some complain about traffic. None of them feel how heavy a hill

becomes after ten rides. I smile anyway, because anger only makes the road longer. At noon I stop near a tea stall. Rice, lentils, maybe an egg if the day has been kind. I count money carefully, then count again. School fees, rent, medicine for my mother — nothing waits. I pedal thinking of my children studying by a dim light. Evening traffic burns my legs the most. My back feels like it belongs to an older man. Passengers ask, “How much farther?” I ask myself the same thing — about life. When

night falls, I return the rickshaw. My hands smell of grease and metal. I walk home tired but not broken. Tomorrow, I will wake up before the sky again. Because this rickshaw doesn’t just carry people — it carries my family.

The Untold Stories of Rickshaw Pullers

I wake up while the sky is still dark and quiet. The city is softer then, before the horns and shouting begin. I wash my face at the tube well and stretch legs that never fully rest. The rickshaw is waiting for me, just like every morning. It is rented, not mine, but I treat it like it listens. By sunrise, the roads fill up and my body finds its rhythm. Passengers climb in, each carrying their own rush. Some talk

on phones, some complain about traffic. None of them feel how heavy a hill becomes after ten rides. I smile anyway, because anger only makes the road longer. At noon I stop near a tea stall. Rice, lentils, maybe an egg if the day has been kind. I count money carefully, then count again. School fees, rent, medicine for my mother — nothing waits. I pedal thinking of my children studying by a dim light. Evening traffic

burns my legs the most. My back feels like it belongs to an older man. Passengers ask, “How much farther?” I ask myself the same thing — about life. When night falls, I return the rickshaw. My hands smell of grease and metal. I walk home tired but not broken. Tomorrow, I will wake up before the sky again. Because this rickshaw doesn’t just carry people — it carries my family.

Rahman Mia

Dhaka

Rickshaw Facts of Bangladesh

Numbers, art, and culture behind Bangladesh’s most iconic ride.

More Than Meets the Eye

Official records tell one story but the real number of rickshaws moving through Dhaka’s streets is far larger, quieter, and impossible to ignore.

The City’s Rolling Gallery

From bold colors to hand-painted scenes, rickshaws turn everyday travel into moving art shaped by culture, memory, and imagination.

Beauty Comes With Weight

Behind the vibrant hood and high seat is a heavy structure — one that tests balance, strength, and endurance every single ride.

Livelihoods in Motion

Rickshaws don’t just carry passengers — they carry income, responsibility, and survival for millions who depend on the road.

The Electric Shift

As battery-powered rickshaws rise across the city, traditional transport is evolving — faster, quieter, and reshaping urban movement.

Rickshaw Facts of Bangladesh

Numbers, art, and culture behind Bangladesh’s most iconic ride.

More Than Meets the Eye

Official records tell one story but the real number of rickshaws moving through Dhaka’s streets is far larger, quieter, and impossible to ignore.

The City’s Rolling Gallery

From bold colors to hand-painted scenes, rickshaws turn everyday travel into moving art shaped by culture, memory, and imagination.

Beauty Comes With Weight

Behind the vibrant hood and high seat is a heavy structure — one that tests balance, strength, and endurance every single ride.

Livelihoods in Motion

Rickshaws don’t just carry passengers — they carry income, responsibility, and survival for millions who depend on the road.

The Electric Shift

As battery-powered rickshaws rise across the city, traditional transport is evolving — faster, quieter, and reshaping urban movement.

Rickshaw Facts of Bangladesh

Numbers, art, and culture behind Bangladesh’s most iconic ride.

More Than Meets the Eye

Official records tell one story but the real number of rickshaws moving through Dhaka’s streets is far larger, quieter, and impossible to ignore.

The City’s Rolling Gallery

From bold colors to hand-painted scenes, rickshaws turn everyday travel into moving art shaped by culture, memory, and imagination.

Beauty Comes With Weight

Behind the vibrant hood and high seat is a heavy structure — one that tests balance, strength, and endurance every single ride.

Livelihoods in Motion

Rickshaws don’t just carry passengers — they carry income, responsibility, and survival for millions who depend on the road.

The Electric Shift

As battery-powered rickshaws rise across the city, traditional transport is evolving — faster, quieter, and reshaping urban movement.

The Untold Stories of Rickshaw Pullers

Rahman Mia

Dhaka

The Untold Stories of Rickshaw Pullers

I wake up while the sky is still dark and quiet. The city is softer then, before the horns and shouting begin. I wash my face at the tube well and stretch legs that never fully rest. The rickshaw is waiting for me, just like every morning. It is rented, not mine, but I treat it like it listens. By sunrise, the roads fill up and my body finds its rhythm. Passengers climb in, each carrying their own rush. Some talk

on phones, some complain about traffic. None of them feel how heavy a hill becomes after ten rides. I smile anyway, because anger only makes the road longer. At noon I stop near a tea stall. Rice, lentils, maybe an egg if the day has been kind. I count money carefully, then count again. School fees, rent, medicine for my mother — nothing waits. I pedal thinking of my children studying by a dim light. Evening traffic

burns my legs the most. My back feels like it belongs to an older man. Passengers ask, “How much farther?” I ask myself the same thing — about life. When night falls, I return the rickshaw. My hands smell of grease and metal. I walk home tired but not broken. Tomorrow, I will wake up before the sky again. Because this rickshaw doesn’t just carry people — it carries my family.

Rahman Mia

Dhaka

RICKSHAW

RICKSHAW

More Than a RideA Story Painted in Color

More Than a RideA Story Painted in Color