300 students team up with police to manage traffic in Dhaka

They will receive an honorarium for their efforts to improve the city's traffic management, says Home Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury

Home Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has announced that 300 students will be working alongside the police to improve traffic management in Dhaka.

The students will take part in the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Traffic Week from Oct 21 to Nov 4 and will be paid an honorarium. The advisor also hinted at the possibility of increasing the number of participating students in the future.

The announcement was made during the launch of DMP's Traffic Week 2024 at the Rajarbagh Police Lines on Monday.

"These students have joined us for Traffic Week and will continue to assist us going forward," said Jahangir.

"They will receive an honorarium. I won’t specify the details here, but it will be reasonable."

Jahangir also highlighted the positive impact that the students have made in managing traffic after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina administration on Aug 5. "By working with us, they might be able to improve the traffic situation further."

Noting that Dhaka's population currently exceeds 20 million, he attributed the severe traffic congestion in the city to inadequate road infrastructure.

Despite the city’s economic and infrastructural growth, the transportation system remains outdated and disorganised, according to him.

"We have failed to provide enough comfortable public transport vehicles, and the streets are crowded with non-motorised vehicles like rickshaws and hand carts, which people use out of necessity," he said. “This mix complicates the implementation of a disciplined traffic system.”

Jahangir also pointed out that frequent protests and demonstrations disrupt traffic, while the overwhelming number of both legal and illegal vehicles exacerbates the congestion.

Reflecting on the past, he recalled how traffic management collapsed nationwide after the student-led mass uprising that led to the fall of the Awami League government. Since then, students and community members have voluntarily helped manage traffic to restore order, he said.

He added that since the formation of the interim government, there has been a continued effort from students, civil society, and professionals to work with the police and offer insights to enhance Dhaka’s traffic management system.