BRTA launched drive to ease traffic congestion in Dhaka during Ramadan

The drive to ease traffic congestion in the capital often proves counterproductive as queues of buses and cars seized by mobile courts obstruct the other vehicles on the roads.

Bangladesh Road Transport Authority has lately launched a campaign to alleviate the plight of the commuters during Ramadan. But the way its mobile courts stop vehicles to check papers, file cases, collect fines and leave the seized ones waiting to be towed away makes matters even worse.

Despite special measures by BRTA and Dhaka Metropolitan Police, almost all roads in the city clogged up yesterday, the first day of Ramadan.

Even the prime minister could not avoid the morning-hour gridlock and was late for office. Her motorcade got stuck in a snarl-up on the way from her official residence Jamuna, reports the state-run news agency BSS.

BRTA magistrates Masudur Rahman and Mashiur Rahman set up two mobile courts in front of BG Press in Tejgaon yesterday. The vehicles they seized formed long rows, adding to the tailbacks.

Asked about obstruction to the other traffic, Magistrate Masudur Rahman told that they have only one wrecker and it is never enough to take away so many vehicles and clear the roads immediately. They have no option but to keep the seized vehicles waiting to be taken to the dumping places later, he argued.

BRTA Director (enforcement) Tapan Kumar Sarker said the wrecker they have at their disposal now has been hired from DMP.

DMP Commissioner AKM Shahidul Haque said they have five wreckers but most of them are not fit to be in use at the moment. He said they need at least 10 more to haul away the huge number of unfit and unauthorised buses and cars seized by police and transport authority. For instance, he added, DMP alone seized 1,679 motorised vehicles and 1,652 rickshaws last week.

Meanwhile, the 12-member high-powered committee formed on August 20 to coordinate and monitor the measures to reduce traffic jam inspected several city roads yesterday.

The committee chief and additional communications secretary Shafique Alam Mehdi said this ever-worsening traffic situation cannot be solved overnight. Things will not improve unless some drastic steps are taken. "We have already proposed the government cancel the decision to lease out city roads for parking,” he continued.

"The reality is we need many more flyovers and roads to see a turnaround."

The ministry on August 20 recommended the government arrange for 20 magistrates to conduct drive against old vehicles, illegal parking, obstructions to vehicular movement and violation of traffic rules.

If the recommendation is implemented, at least 16 mobile courts would work in eight DMP zones.

Contacted, DC Zilllar Rahman said, "I hope we will get the mobile courts in operation in a day or two."