Stress to be on Creation of Pedestrian friendly environment

Stress to be on Creation of Pedestrian friendly environment 

Communication Minister Obaidul Quader MP said about half of all victims of road fatalities are pedestrian. In addition to non-compliance of law by drivers pedestrian’s lack of awareness is also responsible for fatalities. Besides, lack of pedestrian-friendly wide and parallel footpath, illegal parking on footpaths, lack of sufficient zebra-crossing are also responsible for occurrence of road fatalities. We are active in enacting necessary law and ensured law compliance, framing infrastructure and creating awareness about it.

 

Honorable Minister said as above at a workshop on “Improving the pedestrian environment in Dhaka: steps forward” jointly organized by Asian Development Bank (ADB), Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Gazipur City Corporation (GCC), HealthBridge-Canada, and Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust.

The program was chaired by Saifuddin Ahmed, Executive Director of WBB Trust and was addressed by Md. Wahidur Rahman, Chief Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED, Sha Kamal (Assistant Secretary), Administrator of Gazipur City Corporation (GCC), Debra Efroymson, Regional Director of HealthBridge-Canada, and by David Margonsztern, Urban Development Specialist (Transport) Asian Development Bank (ADB). Aminul Islam Sujon, Project Coordinator of WBB Trust moderated the function.

Minister Obaidul Quader MP also said walking is duly stressed in all developed cities for improved communication facilitates. We are also going forward step by step. At present ADB initiative of making Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) from Shajalal International Airport, walking at corridor, smooth movement for cycle and rickshaw is very efficient and scientific. BRT will ease movement for the users; the pedestrian will also be benefited from it.        

Debra Efroymson said the city can not be called modern where people do not get sufficient walking facility. Infection of non-communicable diseases including diabetics and cardiovascular diseases are increasing among people. Besides, pollution, fuel costs, accidents, transportation costs are also increasing numerically. So, city transportation policy should address those issues for easy and comfortable movement of the people.

David Margonsztern said ADB is going to start separate lane for bus-Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) from Gazipur to Airport. As a result, more than 1 lac people can easily move in the city which will reduce transportation crisis in the city. In addition, pedestrian-riendly environment will be created so that pedestrian can get its benefits.

  

Sha Kamal (Assistant Secretary), Administrator of Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) said Gazipur is a newly formed City Corporation but larger in population. Walking facility in Gazipur is efficient. GCC will work for improving walking facilities in Gazipur. Md. Wahidur Rahman said LGED shall have its role in developing pedestrian-friendly environment in city. We are involved in BRT initiative of ADB. We shall work for creating pedestrian-friendly environment in city in future.

Saifuddin Ahmed in his chair’s note said people walk as long as they are physically fit. In addition, many people are physically unable to walk or move. Footpath should be equipped with facilities for them.

Technical session of the workshop was held from 11.00 AM to 1.00 PM. This session was chaired and moderated by Dr. Sarwar Jahan, Professor of Urban and Rural Planning Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. Debra Efroymson presented a key note on “Problems of Dhaka Pedestrian; Action Plan” and “Shajalal Avenue; a Pedestrian-friendly model” was also presented. LIoyd Wright, Senior Transportation Expert of ADB presented note on “Necessity of modernization of cycle, rickshaw and non-motorized vehicles”. A note on “Cycling” was presented by Bradley Schroeder, NMT Specialist of ADB.

Participants of Ministry of Communication, Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Dhaka North & South City Corporation (DNCC & DSCC), Gazipur City Corporation (GCC), RAJUK, Department of Environment, and BRTA were present in the workshop.

No licence sans test, govt urged

Tarana Halim demands a public announcement that incompetent drivers will not be given licences. She urged that the communications minister, Syed Abul Hossain, to make such an announcement at parliament.

Tarana Halim, also a famous artiste since her childhood, was speaking at a demonstration in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka on Saturday.

Jointly organised by Saif Foundation and Families United Against Road Accidents (FUARA), Tarana said, the platform of accident victims had sent a letter to the communications minister requesting him not to give driving licences to incompetent people.

“[Communications minister] has given his word that he won’t succumb to such pressure.” Tarana said Abul Hossain’s assurance followed a letter from FUARA.

“I urge the honourable minister to announce that the 20,000 proposed licences will be cancelled and to train the 10,000 drivers who have already been issued licences,” she said.

She said 199,000 ‘unskilled’ drivers had been given licences in the past 18 years and added, “There is no scope to call road mishaps only accidents.”

An MP from reserved women’s seats, Tarana Halim said FUARA is a platform to move for social issues. The Saif Foundation was formed after her nephew Saif Ahmed was killed in a road accident in 2009. “Workers leaders and drivers rebuked us and many distinguished people joined them. I have no political ambition or interest. I want to tell them who see political motives behind these movements that I have never resorted to politics over deaths. Nor will I do it in future.”
She said good efforts are always questioned. “A tendency of ‘shutting up’ and ‘putting up’ is on in the country.”

Communist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim said drivers’ ignorance is one of the main reasons behind traffic accidents. “But the government is saying that anyone should be given licence if he understands the difference between a cow and a goat. What kind of a country is we living in?”

He said the entire communications system of the country needed to be overhauled by repairing the roads, increasing public vehicles and appointing skilled drivers and improving the rail and water transports.

Convenor of the organisation Public Service Commission member and Saif’s father Ekram Ahmed said they were demonstrating demanding amendment to the Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1983 and its implementation, announcement of charges against ‘unskilled’ drivers responsible for accidents as non-bailable offence and increasing jail terms for such drivers to 10 years.
The communications minister recently came under stinging criticism within and outside the government over rundown roads after filmmaker Tareque Masud, ATN News CEO Ashfaque (Mishuk) Munier and three others died in a road accident in Manikganj on Aug 13.
The criticisms got harsher when transport owners stopped bus operation on 13 routes demanding repair of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.

According to a former US diplomat in Dhaka, as whistleblowing website WikiLeaks said in one of its cables, the minister was ‘less than an honest man’ in his business dealings.
Meanwhile, shipping minister Shahjahan Khan, also a transport workers leader, has been facing criticisms for his recommendation to provide licences to those driving without one for the last 10 to 15 years.

Shahjahan Khan in a press statement issued on Aug 29 said the Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation had sent a list to the authorities of 24,000 such drivers. He had said the country had a shortage of 0.135 million drivers and said there was no need for test for drivers, the statement said.

The High Court Aug 25 ordered the government to stop issuing licences without proper screening and legal compliance, until Oct 17, by which time the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) is to submit records of the last five years. The same day, the parliamentary standing committee on communications ministry blamed the previous BNP-led government for issuing licences to unskilled drivers.

In his first reaction after the news reports and criticism over his insistence, minister Shahjahan on Aug 18 said he had proposed issuing licences through due process and refused the allegation of pressuring the authorities.

Following this, Tarana on Aug 20 from a human chain against road accidents said she would fast to her death if ‘unskilled’ drivers get licences upon recommendation from the shipping minister

No licence sans test, govt urged

Human-chain protesting driving license without test

A human chain was formed in frontof the National Press Club in the city on Saturday to press the demand forstopping issuance of driving licenses without tests. Two organization - FamiliesUnited Against Road Accident (FUARA) and Saif Foundation - organized the humanchain at 10:30 am.

Advocate Tarana Halim, MP,Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) General Secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim,FUARA Convenor Imran Ahmed, Saif Foundation Chairman Samiya Halim and BangladeshHuman Rights Council Chairman Abdur Rahim Khan addressed the human chainprogramme, among others, said a press release.

Prof Dr Mohammad Kasimuddin,social worker Sagor Lohani, Bangladesh Press and Human Rights FoundationPresident Nayeem Ahmed, Udichi Shilpi Goshthi General Secretary Habibul Alam,WBC Trust National Advocacy Officer Maruf Rahman and family members of roadaccident victims took part in the programme along with students, teachers,intellectuals, political and social workers and cultural personalities.

The speakers urged the governmentto take necessary steps to reduce incidence of road accidents and ensure safemovement of the people.

Tarana Halim urged all to jointheir non-political social movement for the prevention of road accidents.

She urged the authorities not toissue driving licenses without taking tests and demanded amendment to the MotorVehicle Ordinance 1943.
Mujahidul Islam Selim suggesteddevelopment of rail and river routes for safe transport system in the country. He urged the authorities to findout the real reasons for road accidents and take proper steps accordingly.

He also suggested improving thepublic transport system and controlling private cars.

Human-chain protesting driving license without test

Call for popularising cycling

State Minister for Forest and Environment Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday underscored the need for creating convenient atmosphere for easy cycling, considering the forest, health, fuel and communication expenses in the country. He said this while addressing a cycling rally, jointly organised by Dhaka Cycling Club, Nirapad Development Foundation and Work for Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust, in front of the National Museum in the city.

Emphasising the need for cycling, the State minister said cycling for 30 minutes or 2100 km cycling in a year reduces the risk of gaining weight by 50 percent, blood pressure by 30 percent, cardiac disease by 50 percent and diabetes by 50 percent.

Green activists urged the government to declare national bicycle day to popularise cycling in the country.

President of Bangladesh Cycling Federation Mizanur Rahman Manu, chairman of Nirapad Development Foundation Ibnul Syed Rana, vice-president of Titas Gas Ltd Akter Hossain, national advocacy officer of WBB Trust Maruf Rahman, general secretary of Dhaka Cycling Club Azharul Islam and national cycling coach Sahidur Rahman, among others, addressed the occasion.

Mizanur Rahman Manu said, “The demand for the declaration of national cycling day on September 18 is a long-standing demand to popularise cycling in the country.”


He underlined the need for creating a different network for easy cycling everywhere in the city. The imposed tax on bicycle should be reduced for popularising cycling, he said.
Mizanur Rahman Manu further said, “The motorised vehicles are mainly responsible for environmental pollution. However, cycling and walking can reduce the dependency on private cars.”


Referring to cycling in different developed countries, he said, “Popularity of cycling is increasing in the developed countries and it is being

‘Curb car use to drive away jam

Green campaigners on Thursday demanded a stop on use of private cars at least once a week to reduce traffic congestion and environmental pollution in the city. An increase in the use of private car is not only contributing to similar rise in traffic congestion but also resulting in misuse of energy, they said at a rally in front of National Museum. Save the Environment Movement (SEM) organised the rally to mark World Car-free Day.
The green activists later brought out a cycle rally that ended at Central Shaheed Minar.
Maruf Rahman, national advocacy officer of WBB Trust, said, “Cars carry only 5 per cent of people commuting in the city every day, while most people use public buses, rickshaws and cycles. A large part of the city’s population also moves on foot but no initiative is seen to facilitate their movement.

“But the government is always seen to encourage import and use of private cars and taxi cabs.”
Excessive use of cars play an instrumental role in the increase of traffic congestion and their movement should be curbed to ease jams, Maruf said. He also stressed the need to create a congenial atmosphere for cycling within the city. “Cycle is an energy-free and environment-friendly vehicle,” Rahman said.

Chairman of SEM Abu Naser Khan said the use of private cars should be stopped at least once a week to maintain a clean atmosphere and save energy. “This rule is in place in cities such as Jakarta (Indonesia) and Bogotá (Colombia). The energy crisis is a great cause of concern, as we spend a huge money to import energy.”

Instead of increasing price of fuel, Khan asked the government to fix a different rate of fuel for those using their own vehicles. He also suggested for improving the mass transport system instead of constructing car-friendly infrastructure


‘Curb car use to drive away jam

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

Air Pollution

Air Pollution: What is the Main Cause, Cars or Rickshaws?

Cars pollute as soon as they are turned on, whether they are moving or sitting still in traffic. To blame air pollution on rickshaws because they slow down cars is outrageous. Even when moving smoothly and well-maintained, cars pollute; internationally, cars are the major polluters of our air and the major contributors to climate change. Worldwide, the most air pollution is created by the United States, not because their cars are slowed by rickshaws, or because their cars are poorly maintained, but because Americans drive so much. Cars pollute; lots of cars pollute a lot.

CNG is cleaner than other fuels, but as it is a carbon-based fuel, it still releases carbon dioxide into the air as well as the cancer-causing chemical benzene, for which no safe level of exposure is known. People travelling by foot, bicycle, or rickshaw arrive at their destination without contributing to air pollution; people travelling by a motorized vehicle, even a bus, contribute to air pollution. While the rich are the main sources of air pollution, everyone breathes the air.

Meanwhile, if the rich believe they are somehow immune to air pollution because they live with air conditioning, they might wish to remember that they too must breathe the same air that they are polluting; the more cars, the more they too will suffer.

Parking vs moving

Parking vs moving

Consider the case of Mirpur Road near New Market. One entire lane remains almost entirely unused. In front of New Market it is filled with parked cars; the rest of that lane is empty, except for some pedestrians, as drivers are used to the idea that it is a parking lot rather than a lane, and thus don’t use it.

But if the lane were converted into an additional rickshaw lane, where would car drivers park? If we assigned one parking area for private cars at any section of New Market, and charged per time used—for instance at 30 taka/hour—then two major changes would result:

1. Those who now park all day, and thus are the least efficient users of spaces per people benefited, would park for far less time, or use alternate transport to arrive and thus not park at all;

2. Those arriving from nearby would discover it is cheaper to take a rickshaw or walk, and would thus also arrive by other means.

Both these changes would reduce traffic congestion on Mirpur Road. This would also mean that far less parking spaces are needed, thus freeing up spaces for shoppers who wish to enter and leave quickly—and are more likely actually to make purchases than those who abandon their car for hours. Businesses would also benefit from the increased number of shoppers who will be able to arrive by rickshaws when the size of the rickshaw lane would double.

Syed Saiful Alam
Volunteer, Save the Environment movement, Dhaka

Suggestions for Improving Transport in Dhaka

Suggestions for Improving Transport in Dhaka

1. Maintain the use of rickshaws by
a) Canceling all planned bans on rickshaws from different roads;
b) Creating rickshaw-only lanes on major streets (including those that currently ban rickshaws), and
c) Considering a gradual shift to improved rickshaws that are easier to maneuver and more comfortable for passengers. If the rickshaw licensing system is to be maintained, set a higher level for the number of rickshaws, and base it on research into which all citizens can have input.

2. Cancel all plans for future flyovers, and use transportation budgets to improve public transit and conditions for NMT ( Non motorized transport) .

3. Make cars less affordable and available through reducing import of cars, raising registration fees and taxes, and restricting licenses.

4. Ban cars from small streets and lanes and from congested areas, and greatly reduce parking. Enforce a ban on parking on footpaths and on major streets.

5. Make cycling more safe and attractive by providing separate bicycle lanes on all major roads (creating a continuous cycle lane throughout the city) and by giving bicycles priority at traffic signals so they aren