The motorbikes plying on the streets of the city and not complying with the traffic rules are creating problems and congestions on the roads. In addition, their excessive number is also creating problems for the commuters and people.
Let’s look at a scenario…time was 9 am on Wednesday and the congested road of Bashtala in Shahzadpur area of the capital was in pressure of traffic. Suddenly, a motorbike, finding some space to move forward, went ahead of other transports standing on the road. Seeing this, four and five other bikes also moved forward, and some others also followed. However, they had to stop in front of a CNG autorickshaw coming from opposite side and a hotchpotch situation was created. It affected the flow of transports plying on nearby roads. It needed more than an hour to release the congestion created in this way.
The ride sharing by motorcycles relieved the citizens from the transport crisis to some extent, but that turned into a curse instead of becoming a boon. The bikers are not following the traffic rules. If they find some space, they move ahead and blocking the roads. They even move the bikes on the footpaths. The passers-by and other commuters are very anxious over the reckless plying of the motorbikes. On the other hand, due to less times needed by going through hired bikes, the number of motorcycles are increasing to a great extent, as well as many people are coming to the capital to earn livelihood by engaging into ride sharing business. Only in 2022, the number of this kind of transport got registered was 5, 78,152, among which registered motorcycles were 5, 06,912. Only in Dhaka, the number of registered motorbikes in 2022 was 1, 20,848.
Till March of this year, a total of 20,771 motorcycles were registered in Dhaka, and 82,326 in the whole country. The authorities concerned think the excessive number of bikes and disobeying the traffic rules are increasing the suffering on the roads. However, even the bikers have complaints against other bikers. Sakhawat Hossain, a biker of the capital, said, “Those who have engaged in ride sharing business in Dhaka, were used to run bikes in their home town recklessly. They had not to comply with the rules there and running the bikes like what they did in their hometowns.”
It’s very interesting that the police fine the bikers if they don’t use helmets; however, they take no actions if bikers create chaos on the roads.
Meanwhile, statistics show that motorcycles are responsible for the most deaths in road accidents in the country. According to the Road Safety Foundation, 2,214 people died in 2,078 motorcycle accidents in the country in 2021, which is 35 percent of the total road accident deaths. Last March 564 people were killed in 486 accidents and 34.39 percent of these deaths occurred due to motorcycle accidents.
Transport expert and professor of Bangladesh University of Engineering (BUET), Shamsul Haque told Bangladesh Pratidin, “The risk of accidents in motorcycles is 30 times higher than in four-wheelers. Besides, 15 to 20 small vehicles are coming on the road as an alternative to a bus which increases traffic congestion, accidents, noise and air pollution. Fuel is burning too much. Those around the world who have ensured standard public transport systems, discouraged small cars which have been successful in transport management. We are walking the opposite way. People are looking for alternatives due to lack of good public transport. As a result, roads are being filled with small vehicles like motorcycles and private cars. Its side effects are many and responsible for the loss of habitability in Dhaka.”
He said we don't have a policy on which vehicles need to be given priority in building a planned city. Time is running out. People are investing in small cars. It will be difficult to solve this problem later.
@The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on April 7 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque
