It is no big secret that one of the worst things about living in Dhaka is dealing with the traffic every day.
But congestion is often worse than it needs to be, as large vehicles are often seen on the road with only one or two people inside.
Imagine what the roads would look like if everyone on the road was on a bicycle instead of a large motor vehicle.
While getting rid of cars is a far-fetched and impractical scenario, it would certainly do us a lot of good to encourage and facilitate greater use of bicycles in the city.
After all, many developed countries around the world have realised the benefits of bicycles, and people in droves, even those who can afford cars, have switched to the two-wheeled alternative.
Dhaka could take a lesson from cities like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Berlin -- cities which have taken major steps to be bike-friendly, and are known to be some of the best places in the world in which to live.
With Dhaka’s propensity for traffic accidents and the decrepit state of some of its streets -- people die from falling into manholes with alarming frequency -- there is plenty of room for improvement.
This means more bike lanes, and traffic laws that ensure safety for bike-riders.
Not only would such a move cut down on congestion, it would do wonders for reducing the amount of air pollution.
For years, Dhaka has had the unenviable distinction of being one of the most unliveable cities in the world.
In spite of our admirable economic growth, quality of life in the capital just keeps dropping, and this is largely due to a lack of vision and bad policy.
A move towards a more bike-friendly city is the way to go -- it is time for the authorities to see that clearly.
