World Car Free Day observed

Green activists at a cycle rally on Thursday called for keeping private cars off the road one day a week to cut down the capital city’s traffic congestion and pollution.

They demanded increasing the tax on car imports and parking to encourage better public transport system.

Organised by the Save the Environment Movement the cycle rally started at National Museum and ended at Central Shaheed Minar to mark World Car Free Day said an SEM press release.

SEM chairman Abu Naser Khan said that an ever growing number of private cars were contributing to traffic congestion and road accidents, increased expenditure for road construction, environment pollution and greater power consumption day by day.



He said that a sustainable transport system required coordinated steps to encourage walking and the use of cycles.

Nagorik Odhikar Sangrakhan president Hafizur Rahman, Save the Environment Movement secretary Sabina Nayeem, Dhaka Cycling Club general secretary Azharul Islam were present.

Jagannath University student Meshkatul Alam won a cycle at the raffle draw.

World Car Free Day observed

‘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

Demand of safe walking environment, In a Walkathon by BAPA and WBB Trust

A walkathon was organized by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust today at 10.00 am from National Museum to National Press Club demanding better footpath by extension, undertaking zebra-crossing for safe walking and planting trees on road sides to create sound environment for walking, initiating special signal for pedestrians and for pro people transports

by restricting private cars.


The brief meeting was chaired by Professor ATM Ruhul Amin and convened by Kamrul Ahsan Khan, coordinator of Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN), Australia. Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique, vice-chancellor of University of Dhaka, Dr. Abdul Matin, General Secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA), Professor Nazrul Islam, President of Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN), A R Khan, former professor of University of Dhaka, Dancer Tamanna Rahman, Architect Salma Safi, Dr. Lelin Chowdhury on behalf of Khelaghar, Iqbalul Haq of UDICHI on behalf of cultural workers, Ekram Ahmed, former divisional commissioner, Syed Mahbubul Alam, Program Manager of WBB Trust, Architect Iqbal Habib, joint secretary of BAPA, Zakir Hossain, joint secretary of BAPA and Sharif Zamil joint secretary of BAPA addressed in the meeting.


Vice-chancellor of University of Dhaka Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique said, “Private cars use should be reduced for environmental development”. “Safe environment for walking and cycling should be created”. “Dhaka University family actively contributes to social movement for safe environment”, he added. He also said that recommendation of BAPA, BEN and WBB Trust of cycling for students of Dhaka University seems assertive. We will develop an environment of cycling in Dhaka University Campus.


BEN President Professor Nazrul Islam said that fuel based Private cars are being controlled worldwide to defend global warming and climate change. It is also important for Bangladesh to control private cars.


BAPA General Secretary Dr. Abdul Matin has said that Mass people will be encouraged if sound environment for walking is created. “Walking keeps people healthy”, he added.

Kamrul Ahsan Khan said that there is enough opportunity for walking and cycling in al the countries in the world but Bangladesh does not have such opportunity. It is important to create a better environment for walking and cycling in our country also.

Syed Mahbubul Alam said that more people are dying of non-communicable diseases in the world and if people walk regularly, they will not be attacked by diseases like Diabetics, heart disease and other non-communicable diseases.

Professor Ruhul Amin said that walking keeps people sound and active physically and mentally. Besides, walking reduces motorized transport dependence which will reduce government expense in fuel and transport sectors.

“Every healthy person should walk for 1 hour a day” and people will be encouraged if sound environment for walking is created which ultimately reduces air and sound pollution.

Professor MM Akash, Shahazahan Mridha Benu, Mohidul Haq Khan, Rakib Uddin, general Secretary of Dhaka University Alumni Association, Dhaka District Rover fo Bangladesh Scouts, SRDA, Green Voice, Nirapad Development Foundation, Green Belt Trust, Manab Unnayan Sangstha, Manobik, PSS, Uddipan, a student organization of Sher-E-Bangla Agriculture University, and students of architecture Department of Bangladesh University.

Make zebra crossings on busy roads

Make zebra crossings on busy roads
Environmentalists urge govt

Environmental activists yesterday demanded marking zebra crossings at all busy thoroughfares in the capital to ensure safe movement of pedestrians.

They placed the demand after drawing a zebra crossing in front of fine arts faculty on Dhaka University campus, jointly organised by Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Save Environment Movement) and Nirapod Development Foundation.

Environmental activists there urged the government to not misuse funds by building foot-over-bridges in the city as most pedestrians do not use them.

They also demanded making separate walk-lane along busy streets for pedestrians. They urged all to practice walking instead of using vehicles.

Environmental activists Abu Naser Khan, Ibnul Sayed Rana, Syed Mahbubul Alam and Moshiur Rahman Rubel, among others, spoke on the occasion.