Dhaka's congestion: A tourist's perspective
I am writing in response to the article “Traffic jam: The ugly side of Dhaka's development” by Abu Afsarul Haider in The Daily Star. While I agree with much of the article, I believe the piece failed to include one other area of review—its impact on local businesses. As the issue of congestion gets fixed or relieved, some jobs will become obsolete as a result. There will not be vendors selling newspapers, nuts, fabrics, fruits, etc., whenever traffic has stopped on the road. A lot of these people rely on congestion as their primary or secondary source of income. They will not have a future in a congestion-free Dhaka. Therefore, there must also be a solution to the transition of these people into other roles or to provide a level of financial support, as they acquire new employment.
I travelled to Bangladesh to meet my in-laws and, as a tourist and guest, I am appalled by the degree of congestion in Dhaka. I have been here for just two weeks, and yet I feel angry and tired every time I now step into a car. I cannot fathom the mental fatigue and aggression that the residents of Dhaka must surely endure after months—no, years of this madness.
The congestion of Dhaka is not a local crisis but a national one that threatens the economic growth of the tourism industry in Bangladesh.
Daniel Sloan, By e-mail
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