Keep cars at home once a week to cut pollution

Speakers at a cycle procession yesterday urged authorities concerned to take necessary steps so that car owners keep their cars at home once a week to reduce environment pollution, traffic congestion and dependency on fossil fuels.

Only five percent of the city's people ride cars which occupy around 70 percent of the roads and highways, creating heavy traffic congestion, they said.

The rally was organised by Save the Environment Movement in front of the city's National Museum.

Citizens' rights activists there urged to enforce a car-free day in keeping with major cities all over the world and to coincide with the international event on September 22.

They also stressed the need to create a bicycle-friendly atmosphere on the streets.

Their other demands include increasing taxes on car import, discouraging availability of loans to purchase cars, imposing on-street car parking charges and improving public transportation services.

The movement Chairman Abu Naser Khan and Dhaka Cycling Club General Secretary Azharul Islam Masum also spoke at the rally.

Keep cars at home once a week to cut pollution