Campus reports :
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 good 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.
On 31st October 2015, 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.
The event was chaired by Gaous Pearee, 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 Rayerbazar to Sankar 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. Dependence upon cars is increasing as parents always look for better schools and those schools are 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.
They also mentioned, most of the students of Rayerbazar community walk to school. A survey conducted in three schools of the community shows that, 80% students live within 1 km and 93% students walk to school. Rayerbazar can be made a model of safe routes to school.
Local people should also come forward in this regard. Awareness should be created among students and parents.
City Corporation, relevant ministries and Department of Education should maintain coordination to ensure safe routes to school. Speakers urged not to honk, control speed of cars, put pedestrian marking on the road and to aware students and parents.
The program was moderated by Ziaur Rahman Litu, Senior Project Officer, Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust. Speakers of the program were Maruf Hossain, Program Manager, LC, NCD, Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust; M.A. Mannan Monir, Principal, Dhaka Ideal Cadet School and Shawkat Ali, Teacher, Dhanmondi Kachikantha High School. Besides Mohiuddin Rasel, Researcher, Dhaka International University; Monir Hossain Nishat, Mastul Foundation; Naznin Kabir, Deputy Program Manager and other officers of Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust; teachers and students of Dhaka Ideal Cadet School and Dhanmondi Kachikantha High School were also present in the program.
