Decentralising Dhaka--

The government decision for extended Eid holidays is admirable. This has enabled more people to celebrate Eid in their village homes with their loved ones. In addition, longer holidays have made Dhaka wear an entirely different look. There is no crowd, no deafening sound of horns and no traffic congestion. Dhaka has put on an unfamiliar look. It has become easier to drive and move from one place to another. Environmental pollution has come down to almost nothing. There are some people at cinema halls and amusement parks. It is totally a different Dhaka which is otherwise unthinkable.
Can Dhaka remain like this rest of the year! No it is not possible. Gradually, trade and commerce will get underway and vehicular traffic will start to move. Shops and establishments will reopen and more people will converge on business centres and market places. And Dhaka will soon become crowded again with people moving busily around and vehicles stuck in traffic tangles.
The only way to relieve Dhaka of the increasing pressures of people and vehicular movement is to decentralise it. This will make things easier for Dhaka city dwellers and people outside the capital city. If one can get one's job done outside Dhaka, then visiting the capital will no more be a compulsion. Otherwise, the ever-increasing population of Dhaka will turn the city into a completely unliveable place.
Mohammed Sohel Hara,
Banasree, Dhaka