Traffic congestion has been a major concern in Dhaka city for years, significantly impacting the residents' quality of life and wasting valuable work hours. Despite various attempts by the authorities to address the issue, their initiatives have shown limited effectiveness. Dhaka's revised 20-year strategic transport plan highlights that inhabitants of and around the city undertake over 20 million daily trips, with 64 per cent relying on buses. However, the city's bus management system is flawed, featuring approximately 10,000 buses and minibuses.
Regrettably, the drivers operating these vehicles often exhibit a disregard for traffic rules. Buses drop off passengers in the middle of the road. Such a lack of discipline contributes substantially to prolonged vehicle congestion. Enforcing adherence to traffic rules and fostering a sense of discipline among bus drivers could potentially alleviate around fifty per cent of the traffic congestion in Dhaka city.
Initiating innovative measures to instil ethical behaviour and awareness of traffic regulations among city bus drivers is crucial. Beyond the concerns related to buses, commuters in the city also bear a responsibility to enhance their ethical conduct while boarding and landing from buses. All this can improve traffic conditions.
Junaid Bin Nesar
Tikatuli, Wari, Dhaka,
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