Of the many issues that the average citizen of Dhaka goes through, perhaps none is more frustrating than the city's often unbearable traffic.
But our traffic woes go beyond simply frustration and worsening mental health, with a study last year concluding that the capital loses eight million working hours worth Tk140 crore to traffic each day.
Dhaka's traffic is also one of the major factors responsible for the city's terrible air quality, which causes untold health issues and suffering to the citizens, taking years off their lives while the emissions add to environmental degradation and thereby, add to the ongoing global climate crisis.
Any headway made towards easing traffic is thus always welcome.
To that end, the launching of a new Bangladeshi carpooling and ride-sharing app -- the first ever carpooling platform for Bangladesh -- that connects drivers and passengers in Dhaka is certainly welcome news, with reasons to be both cautious and hopeful.
Carpooling is a method of sharing a car with other passengers who are travelling in the same direction; instead of four people driving four cars, one car can be shared with the others, greatly helping reduce the number of cars on the road. Reducing the number of cars on the road will naturally reduce traffic but at the same time, will prove to be a boon for the environment.
As has been rightfully identified in a study, private cars are not being utilized properly, and there is immense potential for carpooling in the capital. Ultimately, it is forward-thinking initiatives such as this that will help solve Dhaka's most pressing issues.
We urge the authorities concerned to help support such innovative initiatives, while also reminding the relevant stakeholders to do their part to make sure that the safety of potential passengers is also fully ensured, which could be a potential worry for anyone choosing this means of transportation.