Minister ponders odd-even number plan for Dhaka

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader wants to introduce the odd-even number plan of vehicles in Dhaka following New Delhi's effort to lessen the pressure of privately-owned cars.

He expressed his intent on Wednesday while talking to reporters at a drive that Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) launched to end anarchy in the public transport service.
 
“These cars are spreading like fungus on the entire city. We are trying to discourage this practice. But we don’t want to infringe of anyone’s freedom. What we want is to introduce some form of control on these vehicles,” he said.
 
“We’ve even thought of going for Delhi’s odd-even formula. This may bring some results,” he said.
 
The minister said a law would be enacted to limit the use of small vehicles and prohibit owning of more than one car by a family.
 
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal introduced odd-even number plan in the Indian capital on Jan 1 this year.
 
Under the plan, private cars with even-numbered plates can operate only on even dates, and vice versa for those with odd numbers.
 
The minister spoke of causes behind the gridlocks that include plying of illegal and unfit vehicles and encroachment on footwalks.
 
He said several technical decisions needed to be taken to ease traffic congestion in Dhaka.
 
“But such decisions can’t be implemented owing to the politics of vote,” he lamented.

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