Aiming to revolutionize parking facilities and to ensure discipline in the capital, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has unveiled the “Smart on Street Parking” app.
The inauguration of this pilot program took place at the DNCC's Nagar Bhaban in Gulshan-2 on Wednesday.
This parking app named “DNCC Smart Parking” can be downloaded from Google play store and app store. It will cover 202 parking spots across eight different roads in the Gulshan area.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan was present as the chief guest at the opening ceremony while DNCC Mayor Md Atiqul Islam presided over the program.
"Bangladesh is progressing fast as we are becoming digitalized. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina talked about Smart Bangladesh. She dreams, her dreams come true and we are moving forward at a rapid speed. We saw the Padma Bridge, and then we witnessed the Bangabandhu tunnel. Prime minister said the elevated expressway will be built, it has happened. She said there would be metro rail, this dream also came true”, said Asaduzzaman.
“She has brought us to this place by implementing all the things one by one what she said,” said the minister.
The Prime minister announced the plan to build Smart Bangladesh. Smart on street parking is being launched at DNCC. To build a smart Bangladesh, smart society is needed, smart education is needed, smart governance is needed. That too will be led by the prime minister, he added further.
The DNCC mayor said that the app is being launched in the DNCC area which is the first initiative in Bangladesh.
“We have taken this initiative with practical experience from Miami City under the CLDP (Commercial Law Development Program) of the United States. It will be successful with everyone's cooperation. This will be implemented in every area of North City in phases,” he said.
“The country is moving forward with the hand of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. We are moving forward under her leadership. We are moving towards the vision of Smart Bangladesh,” said the mayor.
“DNCC is collecting tax online, where no cash holding tax is collected. We are collecting holding tax online. None of you will pay the holding tax in person, all of you will pay the holding tax online,” he said.
DNCC has already launched trade licenses online. A Dhaka app has been launched for reporting any complaints. Anyone can complain online from anywhere and DNCC will resolve it.
“We have already solved 98% of the complaints that came to the Dhaka app. These online activities are part of Smart Bangladesh. We have launched such an online system to build corruption free and accountable institutions,” he added further.
Criticizing the recent political program of BNP, Atiqul Islam said that when the country is moving forward to implement Smart Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, BNP wants to take the country back.
“I mean, the boat has no back gear. The boat will move forward,” he added.
Dhaka-17 Constituency MP Mohammad Ali Arafat said that Bangladesh is on the way from Digital Bangladesh to Smart Bangladesh.
“We are moving forward on the path of development and progress with the vision of the prime minister. We want to know how to deliver better services to people. Opposition party is doing violence and the Awami League is working for people. But through their social media propaganda machine they run various campaigns. The people of Bangladesh have understood that we want to build a developed, smart Bangladesh and they (BNP) are destroying it,” he added.
Md Mostafizur Rahman, senior secretary of the public security division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, said that if this model is successful, it will be spread across the country in stages.
The system will allow vehicle owners to effortlessly find, reserve, and pay for parking spots within the city.
Through the app, users can identify available parking spaces nearby, secure a spot in advance, and handle payments with a few clicks on their device.
DNCC Smart Parking Fee
The fee has been fixed at Tk50 for private car, jeep and microbus for the first two hours, Tk50 for the next third hour and Tk100 for every hour from the fourth hour onwards.
Motorcycle has to pay Tk15 for the first two hours, Tk15 for the next third hour and Tk30 for every hour from the fourth hour onwards.
Parking fee will be applicable from Saturday to Thursday from 8am to 10pm. There is no fee for parking after 10pm to 8am. Parking is completely free on Fridays of the week and other public holidays.