A good place to start

Traffic remains one of the worst problems that Dhaka continues to suffer from. While the government has taken numerous measures to try and ease Dhaka’s horrendous traffic situation, such as the MRT and BRT, concurrently we also need to work towards making traffic more organised. The biggest issues when it comes to traffic are volume and violation of rules. While the administration has been actively working towards reducing the former, complete disregard for traffic laws remains a constant thorn on the side. Though the issuing of tickets and fines has been digitised, which has made it easier for both the police and the public, it is still not enough to control traffic, and remains open to the clutches of corruption. In this regard, the government’s decision to install an automated surveillance system to regulate the flow of traffic is a step in the right direction. Having cameras in place which automatically detect when to allow traffic to pass, and also catch vehicles which are flouting traffic rules, will ensure that the traffic continues to move steadily and that no violator of traffic laws is able to slip by. It is imperative that such systems are put in place so that commuters understand the importance of traffic laws and realise that ignoring them is unacceptable behaviour. Middle-income status will remain a dream if our major metropolitan hubs continue to function the they have been. Bangladesh loses millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours worth of productivity every day due to our nigh immobile traffic. Improving the traffic conditions of the city is essential for us as we move forward. To that end, an automated system is a good place to start.