Taking into consideration the health benefits of cycling, which is also a cheap mode of transport, the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) developed a cycle network, marked with white, yellow, and blue cycle symbols in 2020. But now cyclists can barely follow or comprehend the network.
According to the Dhaka North City Corporation, the separate lane was constructed on a nine-kilometre stretch of road near office premises in Agargaon to encourage cycling.
DNCC officials said the image of the Agargaon area would change with the introduction of a six-foot-wide separate lane for bicycles. Apart from making bicycle lanes as model roads, Agargaon will also be a model area for footpaths, on-street parking and greenery.
However, cyclists cannot use the lanes as these lanes are mostly used as parking areas, and a number of hawkers can be seen stationed on the lanes throughout the day. The spaces that are not occupied by cars and hawkers are being used for dumping wastes and keeping construction materials.
DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam in this regard said: “It is very unfortunate that we cannot get optimum benefits out of a good initiative.”
“What can I do? I can order a mobile court to conduct raids against illegal car parking but that is not an ultimate solution until people come forward,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
Meanwhile, the country will observe World Bicycle Day on Friday. Various cyclist groups in Dhaka will be pedalling across the city to mark the day.
The Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), a key agency of transport modelling, arranged a workshop on the theme, ‘How to Implement Effective Bicycle Network in Dhaka’, on May 31.
“We’ve decided to conduct a study on the demand for cycling in Dhaka to make a network of cyclists in the city,” said Neelima Akhter, executive director, DTCA.
“If we find that demand is high, we will extend the bicycle network in Dhaka,” she told Dhaka Tribune.
Maruf Hossain, town manager of UNDP Bangladesh, in his keynote paper at the workshop, suggested developing a bicycle-friendly environment and allocating funds to promote cycling.
State of the separate lanes
Last Tuesday, this reporter visited Agargaon and found government staff buses parked in the bicycle lane in front of the Atomic Energy Commission. There were private cars, and temporary shops on the lane as well.
A similar situation was witnessed in front of the Department of Environment, Islamic Foundation, Election Commission Building, NGO Bureau and PKSF office.
“It is important to make sure the cycle lane is not occupied and this can be done by rearranging our traffic system,'' said Shifat Ahmed, admin of the South Dhaka Cyclists (SDC) group.
World Bicycle Day
World Bicycle Day is celebrated annually on June 3 to promote the use of bicycles for transportation, recreation and environmental conservation.
The World Health Organization has stated that providing bicycles to the world’s poorest individuals and communities can prevent 1.5 million premature deaths and 5 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
The day is celebrated in over 80 countries around the world. Activities include bike rides, educational events and public art installations.
The day has been celebrated since 1988, when it was initiated by the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP). Later, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a declaration in April 2018 for June 3 to be observed as World Bicycle Day.