Of motorbikes straying onto footpaths

Many passengers are seen disembarking from buses to walk on the footpath along the Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka during severe traffic jams. The gridlock between Matsya Bhaban and Shahbag often spans two kilometres up to the intersection near the Foreign Ministry on the Topkhana Road. But the footpaths on the either side of the road are not safe for the pedestrians.
This reminds the travellers of the ordeal they suffer during their visits to countries where one cannot move without cars. In Malaysia and in some European countries, there is no scope to walk as there are no footpaths. One must have a car to travel. But in Dhaka, we have footpaths that are seen occupied by vendors and hawkers at some busy commercial centres. Elsewhere in the city, footpaths are seen to be used by cycles and motorbikes.
While cycles can cause minor injuries to pedestrians, motorbikes pose a serious danger to them. The drivers of motorcycles care less about the physical safety of the pedestrians.
The other day one youth was seen driving a motorbike on the footpath adjoining the northern side of the Bangladesh Secretariat in the presence of police personnel. This scribe narrowly escaped an accident as he could not simply imagine that a motorbike was using the footpath. The youth did not even care to have a look at the passer-by. And the policemen were relaxing reading newspapers, sitting on chairs placed at one side of the footpath.
The casualties from motorbike accidents are far more in number than what bus or car crashes cause. This is attributed to reckless and rash driving of motorbikes.
When the existing roads are fully occupied by buses, mini-buses, trucks and cars, the large-scale arrival of motorbikes on Dhaka city roads has only added to the miseries of the people.
Drivers of motorcyclists usually come from middle and higher middle class families. Pedestrians expect more civic sense and loyalty to laws from the motorbikers.
A leading entrepreneur, who sells imported motorbikes, appears in a TV ad imploring motorbikers not to be rash in driving.
The traffic police department has a great role to play in stopping illegal driving of motorbikes in urban areas. Traffic rules must be enforced stringently for drivers of the two-wheelers. A sweeping crackdown on delinquent motorbike drivers will surely make footpaths in Dhaka city safer for pedestrians to walk.
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