Restore Dhaka’s footbridges

It is concerning to see how many of Dhaka’s footbridges have become so unsafe and poorly maintained that people are choosing to jaywalk on busy roads instead of using them. Reportedly, Dhaka North and South city corporations together oversee 92 footbridges across the capital city. Many were built at a considerable public expense, and one even features the modern facility of an escalator. However, field visits by our reporters found that many of these structures are neglected, poorly lit, occupied by hawkers and homeless people, or taken over by drug users and criminals. Instead of encouraging safe road crossings, they are driving pedestrians away.

The escalator at Banani’s Chairman Bari footbridge, for example, has remained out of service for a long time. In Johnson Road and Farmgate areas, pedestrians avoid footbridges because of poor lighting, lack of cleanliness, illegal occupation, and fear of crime, especially after dark. Entrances to some bridges are blocked by hawkers and beggars, while women have also reported harassment. A recent report by Prothom Alo also found many footbridges in a dangerous state, with missing steps, rusted stairways, and landings covered in litter. The situation is completely unacceptable.

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Although the city corporations insist that all footbridges under their jurisdiction are operational, a bridge cannot be considered functional simply because it is still standing. If people avoid it because it is unsafe, inaccessible, or unpleasant to use, it has already failed its purpose. Urban planners have also pointed out that many footbridges were built in inconvenient locations or with steep, narrow stairways that discourage pedestrians from using them. Without regular maintenance and monitoring, neglected bridges quickly become occupied by criminals, making them even less safe for the public, particularly women and children.

Footbridges are essential public infrastructure built with taxpayers’ money. Therefore, instead of conducting occasional renovation drives, the city corporations must ensure regular maintenance, proper lighting, and routine cleaning of every bridge. Damaged stairways and broken escalators should be repaired without delay. At the same time, law enforcement agencies must keep these bridges free from criminal activities and illegal occupation. However, eviction drives alone will not solve the problem if they are not followed by regular monitoring. Only when footbridges are clean, safe, and convenient to use will Dhaka be safer for pedestrians.