The government's decision to change office hours in order to save electricity came into effect on Wednesday, causing morning traffic to come to a standstill for over an hour.
While the decision is well intended, the consequential gridlock illuminates a much bigger issue at hand: The over-reliance on the capital has led to a disproportionate number of people -- and, subsequently, number of vehicles -- to be accommodated, beyond the city's capacity.
Ultimately, the only way out of this ever-worsening problem is decentralization.
With almost all major economic operations based in the city, the influx of people into Dhaka in search of better opportunities has increased exorbitantly. The centralized nature of the capital has given rise to dreadful levels of traffic congestion, which is detrimental to the quality of life for city-dwellers.
Spending an absurd number of hours daily on commute can be a leading cause of decreasing productivity and deteriorating mental health.
In addition, the more time is wasted on the road, the more our economy loses out on.
Only if the authorities start paying heed to the root of the problem, and create more economic opportunities across the country, will we begin to see improvements in these areas. Not only will the traffic congestion be reduced significantly, it will also facilitate the proper utilization of the entirety of the country, and all the untapped resources it has to offer.
As we accomplish major development goals as a nation, we must also remember to look at the plight of the people making it all possible, and efforts for decentralization can be a good way to start.