Dhaka has become synonymous with traffic congestion. For millions of residents, commuting is not just a routine day-to-day hassle, but also it drains time, energy and health.
According to the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, the city loses nearly 3.2 million working hours daily due to traffic jams, resulting in an annual economic loss of around Tk 980 billion. Inefficient fuel consumption adds another Tk 110 billion per year.
The roots of the problem lie in overpopulation and the failure of policymakers to prioritise sustainable transport planning. Public transport, which should be the backbone of the city, is neglected. Commuters endure unsafe, uncomfortable buses, while the affluent increasingly rely on private cars, worsening gridlock.
There are some hopeful steps. BUET professors recommended bringing the city's buses under a single management system to streamline services and improve safety. If implemented sincerely, this reform could mark a turning point. Yet buses alone cannot solve Dhaka's transport nightmare.
Outdated traffic control systems, illegal parking, and occupied footpaths add layers of dysfunction. Hawkers must be resettled to designated areas to balance livelihoods and city mobility.
Traffic congestion has serious consequences beyond inconvenience. Prolonged exposure to traffic pollution and stress harms public health, increases the risk of heart disease and respiratory problems, and affects children's development.
Solutions lie not just in buses or metro lines, but in a well-planned, multimodal public transport system. Integrating buses, metro rail, circular rail, and river transport, along with decentralising economic activity and modernising traffic management, is essential.
Dhaka can no longer afford the economic and social costs of tailback.
Transport reform is no longer optional-it is a national necessity. Policymakers must act decisively to create a city that is efficient, liveable and full of opportunity, rather than one defined by frustration, lost productivity and public suffering.
Sharmin Akter Swarna
Student,
Islamic University,
Bangladesh
swarnasharmin87@gmail.com
