Jatri Kalyan Samity suggests measures to alleviate Dhaka traffic congestion

Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (BJKS) has proposed a 12-point recommendation aimed at alleviating traffic congestion in Dhaka, which includes a call to halt the registration of small vehicles such as motorcycles.

BJKS Secretary General Mozammel Haque Chowdhury presented these recommendations at a press conference titled 'Public transport crisis: The main source of Dhaka's terrible traffic congestion—city residents want relief' held at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday (6 October).

In his written speech, Mozammel Haque said, "The citizens of the capital are stuck in a terrible traffic jam because of the lack of respect for the rules and regulations of the passengers. It takes more than 4 to 5 hours to go from one end of the city to another.

Chowdhury said that traffic congestion in the capital is wasting approximately 8.2 million working hours each day. The excessive use of private vehicles contributes to the disorder on the roads, preventing people from benefiting from the improvements in public transport.

According to Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), he said, the annual financial loss caused by this traffic congestion amounts to Tk50,000 crore.

The recommendations put forth include the introduction of improved city bus services and the establishment of dedicated bus lanes through bus route rationalization.

They called for a ban on the movement of slow vehicles, such as pedal rickshaws and easy bikes, on Dhaka's main road corridors, as well as ensuring that footpaths are reserved for pedestrians. If necessary, flyovers in the median of roads should be constructed to facilitate easier movement.

Besides, the recommendations mention digitising traffic signals and implementing a camera-based enforcement system similar to those used in developed countries, allowing penalties for traffic violations to be deducted directly from the bank accounts of transport owners or drivers.

They also advocate for prohibiting bike parking, loading, and unloading on main roads and enforcing the use of zebra crossings, foot overbridges, and underpasses for pedestrian crossings while banning hand crossings.

The organisation called for the formation of a traffic congestion monitoring team with experts from the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), Dhaka North City Corporation, and the traffic department. This team would be responsible for identifying congestion issues and proposing immediate solutions.

They also recommend exploring strategies to keep Dhaka's entrances clear of traffic jams and suggest research-based adjustments to traffic signals at intersections. For example, signals at smaller intersections with two or three lanes should remain green for one to two minutes, while those at larger intersections with three or four lanes should last for two to three minutes.

The recommendations also include the establishment of temporary terminals, such as converting the area near Gulistan Park into a terminal to alleviate congestion on Mayor Mohammed Hanif Flyover.

Traffic expert Kamrul Hasan, Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad, joint secretary general of the AB Party, Tawhidul Haque Liton, vice president of Jatri Kalyan Samity, M Monirul Haque, joint secretary general, Publicity Secretary Mahamudul Hasan Russell and others shared their insights at the event.