As soon as you arrive in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, you will notice something special. Countless rivers of rickshaws move through streets full of people, transporting people and a wide variety of goods.

Rickshaws are still a popular means of transport in Dhaka today. About 80,000 of them are registered, but many believe that there are many more on the streets every day. Dhaka is called the rickshaw capital of the world.

The first models for transporting people were in use during the reign of the French king Louis XIV (1638-1715). But Jonathan Gable, an American missionary who served in Japan in the 1870s, is considered the inventor of the human-drawn rickshaw. Allegedly, he constructed this new means of transportation for his fragile wife. It was called jinrikisha, which means “man-drawn vehicle” in Japanese, and later became known as rickshaw. Over time, various models of a rickshaws began to be used throughout Asia as a cheap means of transportation.

All the rickshaws in Dhaka seem to be fully painted and decorated. Where does the tradition of decorating rickshaws come from? When rickshaws began to be used in Dhaka, their competition was horse-drawn carriages, called tomtoms, which transported passengers and goods. Perhaps rickshaw owners started decorating their vehicles precisely to attract customers and encourage them to use this new form of transportation. Pictures and advertisements displayed on rickshaws became after some time a distinctive branch of art.

Every part of this vehicle is decorated with colorful drawings, pictures, patterns and fluttering fringes. Sequins and shiny balls hang from the sides and the folding roof.

Each artist has his own style and favorite motifs. Some artworks resemble billboards with scenes from old and new Indian and Bangladeshi films. Others reflect the artist’s yearning for rural life and nature or their view of social and political events. Common motifs are also animals, birds, hunting scenes and beautiful landscapes.

During the 1950s, there were only a few painters who painted rickshaws, and today between 200 and 300 craftsmen are involved in the creation of these unique works of art. Rickshaws are assembled piece by piece in specialized workshops, often from already used materials. For example, on a piece of sheet metal cut from a barrel of cooking oil, or some similar material, the artist can paint a vivid scene with enamel colors. Rickshaw painting is a very recognizable naive art of Bangladesh.

As you can guess, rickshaw pullers don’t have an easy life. Imagine how you would feel if you had to transport loads of people and loads of goods by bike all day. Customers are usually people returning from shopping, housewives, schoolchildren or business people. Often two, three or even more people crowd into a rickshaw. Bags full of rice, potatoes, onions or spices are also transported in the rickshaw, which traders then sell at the market. Sometimes a passenger also sits on top of all his luggage, so it may seem to an observer that the driver will not even be able to move all that heavy load. But regardless of whether the sun is scorching or the monsoon rains are falling, the humble rickshaw drivers work hard without complaint.

Most of the drivers came to the city from poor rural areas because they could not feed their families by farming. Unable to find higher paying jobs, many left their families in the countryside and became rickshaw drivers. They use all their physical strength for this job.

In Dhaka, the business of rickshaw pullers continues to flourish. Namely, the city is located in a plain and is full of passages and alleys that other means of public transport cannot pass through. Many people find rickshaws useful because they do not pollute the environment, and driving them is very pleasant.

In most Asian cities, rickshaws are in “danger of extinction”. Due to the modern way of life and the use of other means of public transport, rickshaws have become almost unnecessary. But even though many people consider them outdated, when you ride a rickshaw in one way you become a part of that traditional culture that has been living in Asia for many years.

For more information about rickshaws we recommend that you watch the award-winning documentary “My Barefoot Friend”. My Barefoot Friend’ reveals how rickshaw pullers, who are threatened by legislation that will ban their profession, do whatever it takes to survive in a merciless society.