DCC's leased-out car parks worsen traffic

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner AKM Shahidul Haque yesterday said Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) has leased out many important roads for parking of cars and buses illegally, leading to massive traffic congestion in the city.
He said this at a view exchange meeting with journalists at Telecom auditorium of Rajarbagh Police Lines.
The DMP boss also blamed Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) for worsening traffic jam as it in most cases gives approval for high-rise buildings without ensuring car parking facilities there.
Shahidul said as Bangladesh shares a vast stretches of borders with India, Indian criminals very often intrude the country to evade arrest and use it as their hideout.
“We cannot tolerate such a situation and we are trying to find out the criminals and bring them to book” he said, adding, “The detained Indian criminals are being interrogated at TFI cell.”
DCC has also occupied a large portion of important roads by keeping their large containers of garbage or setting up dustbins which are, at the same time, causing huge traffic jam as well as contaminating environment, he added.
To ease traffic congestion during the upcoming holy Ramadan, DMP is going to deploy community police personnel at each intersection and in front of different shopping complexes to check illegal car parking.
DMP will detain illegal rickshaws and age-old vehicles (over 20 years' old) in this regard, the DMP commissioner said, adding but the authorities lack dumping grounds that hamper the drive.
As DMP lacks dumping grounds, traffic police personnel have to fine the vehicles only. Paying the fine, they reappear on the city streets again within 10 to 15 days.
Some journalists at the meeting brought allegations against some police stations as the stations harass victims in recording cases.
Commissioner Shahidul said he would spare no police personnel if they are found involved in any irregularities.
Comparing the present law and order scenario with that of the caretaker government, he claimed that the overall law and order situation has got improved.