TRAFFIC gridlocks have been a complicating issue in the capital city of Dhaka for long and too many private cars also choking the traffic lifeline. Although private cars have been blamed for traffic congestion in Dhaka, City Corporation’s ban on movement of rickshaws on three major roads of the city to ease traffic congestion is paradoxical indeed. Around 6-8 per cent of commuters use private cars to go to their destinations across the city every day, while the rest use public transports, rickshaws and other mode of transportations. Rickshaw is the oldest, cheap, comfortable, and eco-friendly mode of transport being pulled by basically ultra poor people and is less responsible than the private cars for the city’s traffic jam. The ban on the rickshaw, without introducing any convenient mode of transport, would spell common people’s sufferings.
Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam said there will be no rickshaws on the streets from Gabtali to Azimpur via Asad Gate, from Science Lab Crossing to Shahbagh through Bata Intersection and from Kuril to Syedabad Bus Terminal through Badda, Rampura and Khilgaon. The Mayor asked the city dwellers to accept the sufferings for having long-term facilities without mentioning the possible long-term benefit of the city dwellers. The city’s 76 per cent roads are being occupied by private cars owned by only six per cent of the city dwellers while rest of the space of the city roads are used by public transports and rickshaws. In this backdrop, banning rickshaw movement at the present stage is totally unjustified in excuse of easing traffic jam.
The Mayor said that two types of vehicles – auto and pulled by human — cannot ply on a wide street like the one from Kuril Bishwa Road to Malibagh. We, however, feel that the road is wide enough for demarking separate lanes for bicycle and rickshaw on both sides of the streets. Without generating alternative employment opportunity, the ban on rickshaw is, therefore, unjustified and untimely decision too.
