Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday said his party would develop satellite cities outside Dhaka to ease the capital’s chronic traffic congestion, blaming over centralization of roads, public transport, and employment.
“Road design, transport systems, and jobs are centered around Dhaka,” he said, adding that satellite towns outside the capital would help address the problem.
Tarique made the remarks while meeting 10 winners of the national reels-making competition titled Meet and Greet with Tarique Rahman at Justice Shahabuddin Park in Gulshan, Dhaka, where he outlined various plans for building a new Bangladesh.
BNP Chairman’s Adviser Dr Mahdi Amin, Press Secretary AAM Saleh Shibli, and Tarique’s daughter, Barrister Zaima Rahman, were present.
Referring to ongoing transport projects, the BNP chairman said flyovers have been built and metro rail services are being introduced, but noted that metro rail is expensive and space-intensive. He said monorail systems, with smaller carriages, could be connected across Dhaka alongside the metro.
On governance, the BNP chairman criticized government welfare projects as poorly organized and said they should be brought under a single platform through a family card system.
He said weak transport infrastructure contributes to higher commodity prices and stressed the need to address these issues alongside providing incentives to farmers. Ensuring security for all and preventing corruption were essential, he said, adding that resolving these issues would help stabilize other problems.
On education, Tarique said learning must be simplified and made enjoyable, with reforms planned to incorporate sports—passing in which would be mandatory—alongside academics. Arts and culture would also be included to reduce excessive internet use, he said, adding that separate inter-ministerial teams would be formed to implement the plans.
Addressing overseas employment, the BNP chairman said many young Bangladeshis go abroad without adequate skills and often fail to gain proper recognition. He said skill development plans are in place and incentives would be offered if expatriates send remittances through proper channels.