Traffic Lights: Forgotten guardian of Dhaka street

Rakasmo Ahmmed :

The use of traffic lights is one of the most essential processes to be followed around the world. It dictates how the vehicles on the street will go on and in which direction. First-world nations are the most exquisite example of it.

In Bangladesh, the use of traffic lights to control the vehicles on the street is now hardly seen. But nowadays it’s more like the most unused pieces or tools of the street.

The presence of traffic lights is now hardly seen in Dhaka city. Many of them needed serious fixation due to poor maintenance. Many of them just waste the electricity of the municipality. The only proper use of traffic lights is nowadays seen in the cantonment area.

In the past times, the city witnessed the era of using traffic lights. But then it failed due to some pressing issues. Dhaka is one of the most populated megacities in the world. The amount of road is not adequate for the amount of vehicles.

It becomes very difficult for the drivers to follow the signal lights. At times many of them even lost their respect for those standing lights. Don’t solely blame the driver, as the issue largely stems from the inefficient management of traffic signal changes.

Also, law enforcement was very low on the occasion of disobeying traffic lights. Due to these, the traffic lights become less valuable to the people of this city.

Although it’s undoubtedly to mention that any civil society should follow the traffic lights. An exception to the following perspective, the traffic police are using their hand to cover up the role of traffic lights. This activity makes drivers unwilling to follow traffic lights in the future.

Many young drivers are unaware of the meanings of different traffic light colors. It is now our responsibility to reintroduce these lights on the streets to demonstrate that, as a society, we are capable of upholding our fundamental societal rules. This will symbolize our readiness for societal advancement and uphold our responsibility to society.

(The author is a law student at North South University)