DHAKA, April 2, 2024 (BSS)-Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh today said eco-friendly and Internet of Things (IoT) based transport system will be implemented in Dhaka soon.

"Unplanned urbanization and unabated expansion are created by us and we all are responsible for this," he said this while speaking at a discussion on “Effect of Traffic Congestion over businesses of old Dhaka and Identify the Way Forward” at Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) auditorium here.

In his speech, Barrister Taposh pointed out that DSCC has been able to nearly double its revenue from around 512 crore taka to over 1031 crore without increasing any taxes just by improving governance.

The DSCC has successfully tackled the solid waste problem and is now focusing on water logging, he added.

He said that a new central business hub will be built at Keranigonj as this area is situated beside the Buriganga River.

He also said that from now on bus counters will no more be allowed to station outside the bus terminals.

He urged the shop owners not to allow any hawkers to sit in front of their shops anymore and be strict against them.

DCCI President Ashraf Ahmed also spoke on the occasion. Ashraf Ahmed said due to unbearable traffic congestion the historic old Dhaka is day by day losing its charm of long heritage of being one of the largest economic and trading hubs in the country.
"Old Dhaka alone probably contributes about 20 percent to the country’s GDP. Old Dhaka is one of the largest trading hubs in the country and thousands of crores of taka transactions takes place in this part of the city," he added.

But due to unbearable traffic jam, he said, many businesses are now trying to shift to other places and if this trend continues, one day, the city will lose its long heritage as the economic heart of the country, he added.

He also said that due to traffic congestion working hour worth of about 140 crore taka is being lost daily.

Moreover, unplanned urbanization and expansion create traffic congestion that result in about 2.9 percent GDP loss, he added.

He mentioned that illegal shops on the footpath, narrow roads, lack of traffic system, illegal uses of footpath by the shops, illegal rickshaws and vans, illegal hawkers are few of the major problems for traffic jam in the old Dhaka.

He suggested one way traffic system to ease the situation.

 He also recommended for artificial intelligent (AI) based traffic signaling, administrative decentralization, long term urban development strategy, expansion of metro-rail in old Dhaka, developing an integrated circular river route, loading and unloading after 9 pm and eviction of illegal hawkers from the footpath.

DSCC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mizanur Rahman said that illegal trading on footpath is one of the major reasons behind traffic jam in old Dhaka. He said that DSCC regularly conducts eviction drives against the illegal hawkers.

He also told that the lost canals are being revived from the land grabber so it will help reducing water logging in the city.

To ease the traffic congestion, feasibility of so far 60 points has been done to implement AI based traffic signaling system, he added.

Executive Director (Additional Secretary) of Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) Neelima Akter said that "We need to formulate an action plan or specialized strategic solution for the future. She also urged on better coordination among the concerned government agencies."