Traffic mess lowering productivity

Dhaka suffers from severe traffic congestion, compounded by a lack of proper planning to ensure the seamless movement of vehicles. As a highly centralised city with a population exceeding 20 million, Dhaka attracts people seeking better livelihoods and salaries. However, the reality often falls short of their expectations, revealing a significant gap between aspirations and everyday life.

Time, widely regarded as equivalent to money, is what Dhaka's residents lose most due to traffic congestion, resulting in substantial monetary losses. The excessive traffic delays steal hours from daily routines, reducing productivity at both individual and national levels.

The primary cause of Dhaka's traffic chaos lies in the uncontrolled movement of both high- and low-speed vehicles, coupled with a significant number of untrained or poorly trained drivers. This lack of proper driver training exacerbates inefficiency in traffic management and contributes to unsafe road conditions.

To address these challenges, implementing comprehensive driver training programmes is essential to ensure that drivers are skilled and knowledgeable about traffic regulations. Roads must be repaired and maintained to enable smooth vehicle movement and minimise unnecessary delays. Traffic signals should be fixed and automated to facilitate seamless traffic flow, while traffic laws need to be strictly enforced to ensure compliance and discipline among all road users.

By adopting these measures, Dhaka can potentially alleviate its chronic traffic congestion, saving countless hours and positively impacting daily lives by conserving time and money. Collective effort is essential to resolve this pressing issue.

aharul Islam

North South University

mozaharul.islam@northsouth.edu