Traffic jam in Dhaka becomes horrible during school time. One of the major reasons is the use of one car for one child. Walk to school will help to reduce the traffic congestion. It will also ensure welfare of health, reduction of pollution and transport cost. It is necessary to have schools of equal quality in every community and admission of local students should be compulsory. Government has declared 40% quota for local students. Implement of this declaration will help to ensure safe routes to school. It will also be helpful for them who walk to school regularly.
Speakers expressed the above view on the program of ‘Wall Writing to Increase Awareness about Safe Routes to Schools’. The program was jointly organized by Dhanmondi Kachikantha School, Dhaka Ideal Cadet School and Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust at Rayerbazar Boishakhi Khelar Math in the city recently. The event was chaired by Gaous Pearce, Director, Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust and Md Hasan Ul Hamid Khan, Chairman, Governing Body, Rayerbazar High School, was the inaugural speaker of the program. Later students wrote awareness slogans in various walls from Rayerbazur to Shankar area.
In a brief discussion before the writing event speakers said that, according to Dhaka Urban Transport Network Development study, 30% students of Dhaka city walk to school. Depending upon cars is increasing as parents always look for better schools and they arc sometimes distant from home. Some parents think cars reflect their prestige. But many people take car or rickshaw as the walking environment is not safe.
