Make masterplan to curb Dhaka’s traffic jam

The High Court yesterday directed the government to make a masterplan to curb the acute traffic jam in Dhaka and to submit it to the court within the next three months.

The respondents have been ordered to make the masterplan through experts from the departments concerned.

The court also issued a rule asking respondents to show cause explaining why their failure to control and reduce traffic congestion in Dhaka should not be declared illegal and without lawful authority.

The rule further asked why they should not be directed to adopt effective measures for proper traffic management.

Secretaries to the ministries of road, transport and bridges, home, planning, and forest and environment; mayors of Dhaka city corporations; chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha; and inspector general of police have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench of Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice Md Shohrowardi came up with the order following a writ petition filed by Advocate Ishrat Hasan, a Supreme Court lawyer, on May 16 this year.

The petition sought necessary order on the respondents to address the severe traffic congestion in the capital.

In the petition, Advocate Ishrat Hasan prayed to the HC to direct the government to form a special taskforce to curb traffic jam in Dhaka.

Advocate Ishrat told The Daily Star that 50 lakh work hours are reportedly wasted in the city every day due to acute traffic congestion.

As a result, huge amount of money is lost, she added.

Deputy Attorney General Amatul Karim Sawpna represented the state.

The World Bank in an analysis two years ago said the average traffic speed in the capital per hour has dropped in a decade from 21km to just 7km, which is only slightly above the average walking speed.