Traffic Jam: Will it Remain Forever?

Traffic congestion in Dhaka is no longer merely a nuisance—it has become a serious national crisis.

Every day, millions of people lose valuable hours sitting in traffic, while fuel, money, productivity and human energy are wasted on an enormous scale.

Yet, remarkably, we seem to have accepted this nightmare as an unavoidable part of our daily lives. It should not be so.

As Dhaka continues to expand, the number of vehicles is increasing rapidly, but roads and traffic facilities have not expanded at the same rate.

Worse still, many roads and footpaths are being narrowed by roadside shops, temporary structures, illegal parking and various forms of encroachment.

Footpaths meant for pedestrians are occupied, forcing people to walk on busy roads and further worsening congestion.

The consequences are sometimes tragic. During peak hours, ambulances carrying critically ill patients become trapped in traffic.

Students arrive late for examinations, employees miss working hours, businesspeople miss appointments and passengers risk missing flights and trains.

Mothers carrying sick children struggle to reach hospitals. Elderly people and pedestrians face additional hardship and danger.

Traffic congestion also imposes a huge economic cost. Thousands of vehicles remain idle or move slowly while consuming fuel and producing harmful emissions.

People sitting for hours on congested roads are unable to devote that time to productive work, family or rest.

How much time, fuel and productivity does Bangladesh lose every year because of traffic congestion? This deserves a serious, independent study.

More roads alone will not solve the problem
It would be unfair to say that nothing has been done before. Successive governments have invested heavily in roads, highways, bridges, flyovers, expressways, metro rail and other transport infrastructure.

These are important achievements and have improved connectivity.

But infrastructure alone cannot solve Dhaka’s traffic problem. The city is overcrowded because government offices, courts, educational institutions, hospitals, businesses and employment opportunities are excessively concentrated here.

Every day, huge numbers of people are compelled to enter the capital for work, education, healthcare, business and administrative purposes.

Decentralisation must therefore become a central part of the solution.

Government offices, courts, industries, educational institutions and commercial activities should gradually be distributed among other cities and regional centres wherever possible.

Stronger regional economies would reduce the pressure on Dhaka and create opportunities outside the capital.

Public transport needs a revolution
Dhaka urgently needs a well-organised, affordable and dependable public transportation system.

Metro rail should be properly integrated with buses and other modes of transport.

Bus services need disciplined management, fixed routes, proper stopping points and effective regulation.

At the same time, illegal parking, reckless driving, unauthorised roadside markets and occupation of footpaths must be dealt with firmly and impartially.

Traffic laws are effective only when they are enforced consistently—without favour or influence.

Modern technology can also contribute significantly. Intelligent traffic signals, real-time monitoring, digital surveillance and data-based traffic management should be introduced and properly coordinated among the relevant authorities.

Waterlogging makes matters worse
Every monsoon brings another dimension to the crisis. Heavy rain and waterlogging drastically reduce road capacity and turn already congested streets into virtual parking lots.

Traffic management must therefore be linked with proper drainage, regular cleaning of drains and canals, and prevention of illegal dumping and encroachment.

Most importantly, the various agencies responsible for roads, transport, drainage, city development and law enforcement must work together.

Fragmented efforts will produce fragmented results..
Time is a national resource
Developed countries have not progressed simply because they built modern infrastructure; they also learned to value people’s time.

Efficient transportation allows citizens to work more productively and live with less stress. Bangladesh must develop the same culture.

Citizens also have responsibilities. We must obey traffic rules, avoid illegal parking, respect pedestrians and cooperate with lawful traffic-management measures.

But the greater responsibility rests with policymakers and implementing authorities to provide a system that is properly planned, enforced and accountable.

The way forward
Traffic congestion may never disappear completely from a densely populated metropolis. But the present level of suffering is neither inevitable nor acceptable.

Dhaka needs an integrated long-term strategy combining decentralisation, modern public transport, better urban planning, stronger enforcement, protection of footpaths, improved drainage and intelligent traffic management.

The politicians, planners, engineers, administrators, traffic authorities and citizens must work together—not merely to manage traffic jams, but to prevent them from becoming a permanent feature of our national life.

We have built the infrastructure. Now we must build the system.
Dhaka’s people have waited long enough.

(The writer: Ex-Country manager, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Frankfurt, Germany)