Interim PM Yunus pushes for ‘quick' solution to Dhaka traffic congestion

The chief advisor asks police and experts to find solutions to traffic problems for the capital's 20 million people

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has asked police and experts from the leading engineering university to develop solutions for easing traffic congestion in Dhaka.

He gave the directive during a meeting with top Dhaka Metropolitan Police, or DMP, officials and two city traffic system experts from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, or BUET, at the State Guest House Jamuna on Monday, according to a statement issued by the Chief Advisor’s Office, or CAO.

The interim government head ordered the DMP to find "some quick and permanent solution" to the traffic problem for Dhaka's 20 million residents.

"We've to ease traffic congestion. We need to find a solution immediately," he said.

Traffic police have been asked to take up a number of pilot anti-congestion schemes, such as restricting bus stoppage time in smaller stations to less than two minutes on two-three key roads, and subsequently replicate them in other roads of the city, the CAO statement read.

The BUET experts were asked to find some home-grown solutions with the help of their students in at least one traffic corridor.

They are also asked to fix the signalling system by using local expertise.

Prof Moazzem Hossain of BUET, a transportation and traffic system expert, made a presentation at the meeting, saying that Bangladesh loses at least Tk 400 billion annually due to traffic congestion in Dhaka city alone.

The traffic situation has continued to improve in recent weeks after the deployment of more traffic policemen. Full deployment is expected by the end of next week, said KH Nazmul Hassan, additional commissioner of traffic of the DMP.