Some changes in the city’s traffic system have come following the recent students movement for road safety but those are not visible yet, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia.
He said that police would take a 15-day special awareness programmes again after Durga Puja, and such programmes involving senior students and volunteers would continue to make the changes visible and sustainable.
The DMP chief said this while addressing an awareness raising programme in the capital’s Krishibid auditorium where university teachers, top police officials, celebrities from film industries, cricketers of Bangladesh Cricket Team and hundreds of students took part.
The speakers at the programme pointed out the people’s tendency to violate rules as the main cause behind the traffic disorder.
They stressed on changes in the mindset of all-pedestrians, transport owners, workers-to bring discipline in the traffic system.
The DMP in association with some volunteer
organisations observed a special traffic week in August and a month-long awareness programme in September, after an unprecedented movement for road safety by students following deaths of their two fellows on July 29.
But the situation remains almost the same even after the movement.
Visiting the city roads yesterday, this correspondent saw pedestrians were crossing roads indiscriminately, only a handful using footbridges and zebra crossings.The buses were not stopping at the DMP designated places to pick or drop passengers and keeping their doors open in the middle of the roads, defying DMP directives.
Speaking at the awareness programme, Prof Dr Zafar Iqbal said he had driven car for 15 years in the United States but fears to be at the wheel here in Bangladesh as nobody follows traffic rules.
“The huge traffic in the road is an indicator of the country’s development…Now we have to bring the situation under control,” he said.
Prof M Tamim of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) said the tendency of breaking laws possibly starts with the violation of traffic rules as it has been continuing over the years with impunity.
“A sense of panic has to be created among people with application of law strictly and equally for all. You will see people gradually obeying law,” he opined.
Popular film star Riaz recalled how his over speeding bike riding caused a fatal accident in his early life and shattered his dream of flying in the sky as an Air Force official.
“My life has changed and I do not want anyone to fall victim to accident. We all should follow the traffic rules,” he said.
Cricketer Taskin Ahmed said, “We have to change ourselves first and then encourage our friends to be changed. Our parents always worry about our safe return to home as accidents are continuing for violation of traffic rules.”
Sharing his experience of working with police, National Commissioner of Bangladesh Scouts Sarwar Mohammad Shahriar said the number of traffic police is very inadequate and it should be increased four times to handle the traffic situation.
Chairman of Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners’ Association Faruk Talukder Sohel said the awareness building programmes have brought a change in the mentality of transport owners and workers and there is no alternative to bringing discipline on the road.
A traffic guide book was unveiled at the programme.
