No move in sight yet to transfer DTCA to PMO

No visible steps have so far been taken to transfer the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) to the Prime Minister's Office following the Prime Minister's directive during the last two months showing a lax attitude towards easing the city's traffic woes.
The directive was issued by the Prime Minister at a meeting on Dhaka's traffic situation on March 24, held on the first working day after the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday, aimed at improving coordination among over 28 agencies to address the capital's worsening traffic congestion.
To expedite the process, a secretary-level meeting chaired by the Cabinet Secretary on March 31, with all concerned secretaries present, instructed the Road Transport and Highways Division (RTHD) Secretary to submit a report to the Cabinet Division shortly, outlining the transfer plan.
However, RTHD has neither held any internal meeting on the matter nor initiated preparation of the report.
"The RTHD has kept the Cabinet Division's letter aside after receiving it on April 2, as it is unwilling to let the DTCA go from its control," said a source.
Meeting sources said the RTHD Secretary, who reportedly showed reluctance in handing over DTCA to the PMO, instead assured submission of a proposal on strengthening the authority, which currently coordinates with over 28 agencies without adequate executive power.
Sources said the RTHD secretary sought a week time to submit the report but it has already been two months gone.
The DTCA was established under an Act in 2012, replacing the Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB), with the mandate to coordinate transport and traffic management across Greater Dhaka.
A revised organogram proposes 212 posts across engineering and transport disciplines, but only 47 official positions are filled up, with the Executive Director and four others on deputation by additional secretary and below tiers, leaving the authority weak and largely non-functional.
Moreover, the DTCA has always been tried to less power by all other agencies including traffic police, other government's agencies, transport owners and workers due to respective self interest.
The FE correspondent repeatedly tried to contact the RTHD Secretary for comment but found the phone number consistently unreachable.
However, State Minister for Road Transport and Rail Ministrrry Habibur Rashid told the FE that it has been under discussion without giving any details.
Official sources confirmed that RTHD is unwilling to release DTCA from its control.
Transport experts, however, emphasize stronger coordination among agencies under different ministries and strengthening DTCA as an independent entity.
Professor Mohammad Hadiuzzaman of the Department of Civil Engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) said the authority should function autonomously with adequate staffing to strengthen coordination capacity.
"It is not important under which authority DTCA operates; what matters is its capacity to take decisions and coordinate effectively so that others cannot ignore it," he told the FE over phone as he also attended the March 24 meeting.
During the secretary-level meeting, the Cabinet Secretary also questioned why no initiative had been taken to strengthen DTCA to the RTHD secretary and directed implementation of the Prime Minister's decision-either under the PMO or Cabinet Division.

smunima@yahoo.com