THE capital’s traffic situation is total mess. Nothing is working to end the traffic congestion as the summer heat is making the situation worse. Traffic police are failing to follow traffic rules and also enforcing the rules. The situation is worsening despite the High Court’s order to end the chaos and the traffic authorities directive to bring improvement in it. We believe Mayors of the two City Corporations must come forward and see how the situation can be improved. It is true that the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and particularly its traffic wing have recently introduced new rules to put an end to driving on the wrong side in city roads. But their prohibition to use professional signs on private or public cars and other vehicles showing their VIP position apparently as a right to violate rules so far proves insignificant to end driving on the wrong side. In fact we are living in a situation in which powerful people seem to be above law, they ask for compliance but not ready to comply the rules. In most situations the poor on-duty traffic police are not enough to ask for compliance to violators who may be a Minister, MP or their personal staff and also powerful bureaucrats who wields more power and police even make their way safe to be save their jobs. This is the manifestation of a chaotic social order. Media reports on Monday said violation of traffic rules remain the biggest threat to city dweller’s in roads and footpaths as they very often face panic from driving on the wrong side. High speed driving is also making life unsafe. Many car and motorbike drivers don’t use seat belt and helmets. They illegally park in open space ignoring presence of traffic police. Our system does not give us the felling that such parking is illegal and police have the power to discipline them. Nothing can describe the chaos and unmitigated pain that commuters suffer in their daily life from rush driving of transport vehicles. Drivers often engage in competitive driving risking passengers life when they want to reach the next stand to pick passengers before others. This is how many fatal accidents take place on city roads, but rules not followed and also not properly enforced. We do not see any palpable action to solve the problems but the question is how long the powerful persons and transport lobbies will keep on breaking laws and ignoring the traffic rules. There can’t be two systems for the rich and the poor. We want a clean city that Mayors are yet to make against their tall promises and a disciplined traffic system, which is still far from sight. We believe that the DMP and City Mayors must work together to end the chaos.
