The roads were more or less empty at 11 am on Friday. So businessman Abdul Khaleque did not get on the foot overbridge. His age is about 60 with two rings on the heart. It is painstaking for him to move on straight stairs. He walked on foot to cross half-the road and reached the divider. But as soon as he stepped on to cross the second half of the road a bus dashed him and ran away. Abdul Khalequ
e splashed up on the road at Sukrabad. Some students of a private university take him to a private hospital. As he could not be admitted there, the man was moved to another hospital. After a three-hour operation, the doctors said there is serious injury in the head, there has been internal bleeding, nothing can be said before 96 hours. On Saturday night, renowned journalist Jaglul Ahmed Chowdhury had traveled by a bus from Banani to Karwanbazar. He was scheduled to participate in a talk show of a television channel housed nearby. As soon as he put a leg on the ground from the footboard the bus started running. He splashed upon the road and was hit seriously on the head. The veteran journalist was left lying on the road. A pedestrian took him to hospital in senseless, bloodstained condition. By this time he passed away. Even yesterday, Sunday, while crossing the road at Mouchak intersection in Malibagh, a university student Mozammel Hossain was sandwiched to death falling in between two buses. Thus on the heart of the capital lives are being lost due to reckless driving of vehicles. And the authorities, after staging various farces in the name of taking action against offenders, unfit vehicles and drivers, have now started raids for catching ‘rules violating’ passers-by. Whereas, although in the huge areas of the capital there are footover bridges or under-passes at a few places, there is no such arrangements in most of the areas. Finding no alternative the pedestrians have to cross the roads taking risk and then take place tragic accidents. When asked about this, the authorities concerned say that they are thinking of alternate infrastructures. Police started its drive against jaywalkers at Karwan Bazar area from November 25. Many pedestrians have been fined and many others convicted by mobile court for not using foot over bridge and underpass. There are foot overbridges and underpasses in selected places in the capital. Although those may not be suitable for use, the passerby admitted their fault. They were repentant and accepted their punishment. A question has been raised as to how the people will cross the road where there is no foot over bridge and underpass. It is a matter of curiosity as to what will be the solution for the elderly people like former secretary Faruk Chowdhury who cannot climb the foot over bridge should be determined. In a piece of writing, he said a tension grips his mind at the time of going to Uttara thinking the hardles of crossing road. In such a situation, it is tough for the pregnant women, mother carrying baby and physically disabled persons to cross the road. But it was not a case with journalist Jaglul Ahmed Chowdhury. He had met accident not because he was crossing the road. Rather, the bus he was making journey by took his life. The drivers stop their passenger buses here and there which are not bus stands for collecting passengers. But they do not give time to the passengers to get down. Against the backdrop, passengers including specially women and children have to get on the bus taking risk of life. They often fall prey to fatal accidents. After killing people by reckless driving, the drivers and helpers fled the spot. Later, they remain unspotted. The bus which caused death of Journalist Jaglul Ahmed also fled the spot. It is yet to be identified. For the lack of infrastructural facilities and scientific trafficking system, 400 years old Dhaka turned into a static and dying city. As per DMP statistics, around 1,000 passengers were killed in road accident at the time of crossing road in last five years. A passerby has to cross the road by running in absence of systematic alternative. In such a situation, a drive started to punish the jaywalkers from November 25. Till Monday, a number of 788 people were fined. The mobile court conducting Magistrates and road safety experts opined that the problem will be subsided significantly if safe crossing of road can be ensured. The coordinated efforts on the part of the departments concerned and long-term steps can pave the way for ensuring safety of the passengers. The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, the Ministry of Home Affairs and LGRD Ministry are entrusted with implementing various projects related to road, transport and passengers. It was seen in the past that coordinated programme was not implemented as the ministries gave different decisions at different times. If a ministry goes to construct an overbridge, then the construction of another infrastructure by another ministry is hampered. For example, different parts of Mayor Hanif Flyover constructed in Jatrabari-Gulistan area by local government, rural development and cooperatives ministry were in conflicting position with the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project of Road Transport and Bridge Ministry. The design of proposed Dhaka elevated expressway was in conflicting condition at Farmgate. Later, the design of expressway has been changed. The drive started without contacts beforehand among ministries and organizations concerned. This drive launched suddenly without plans for pedestrians movement could be successful had the campaign for Nirapod Sarak been stronger. It is learnt from accident research institute sources that 44 percent pedestrians are killed in road accident taking place in the city areas. Traffic police get tired for controlling the pressure of vehicles in the capital. Publicity about plying vehicles in the road is not strong. Though Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) observed mass awareness programme for safe road but did not take coordinated action with all concerned. Also there is no coordination among the projects and other activities to make road safe. Prof Dr Shamsul Haque of BUET told this correspondent, “Once there were zebra crossings in many important places in the city to cross roads safely. Later, they were removed. There is no coordination among the organizations and the ministries for building safe road infrastructure. So the Strategic Transport Plan (STP) will not be implemented by 2014.” Abu Naser Khan, Chairman, Paribesh Bachao Andolon told this correspondent, “In the coordinated transport policy, it is recommended to introduce non-motorised vehicles, coordinated road system and to reduce the number of vehicles in roads. But these recommendations are avoided. It is necessary for an ideal city to keep 25 percent of total area of the city for traffic movement. The area of the capital Dhaka is 815.85 square kilometer. As per standard, although 204 roads are required, at present there is main road of length of 88 kilometre. There are 8 lakh registered vehicles for the 88 kilometres main road while 2,16,000 vehicles can ply in the main road. According to Strategic Transport Plan (STP), the mega metro rail project and bus rapid transit, mass transport management will not be established by 2014. Dhaka is a densely-populated city. There are 45 thousand people living in per square kilometer area. Per day 21 lakh trips are needed for ferrying 1.5 crore people in the city. 60 percent people in the city are using public transports. According to a survey, about 37 percent people in the capital walk on foot. Most of the footpaths of Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Paltan, Motijheel, Gulistan including different places were occupied illegally. Besides pressure of additional vehicles are falling on the footpath. Motorcyclists are plying motorcycles on the footpath defying rules. There are one underpass and several foot-over-bridges from Ruposhi Bangla intersection to Farmgate police box area in the capital. During a spot visit on Sunday it was observed that one over bridge is unfit for movement. Public movement was suspended few days ago on those ways due to repair work. A pedestrian named Altaf, who could not pass the risky over bridge at Fargate area said the drive should have been started after repairing over bridges. The vehicle movement is now very smooth after construction of Kuril flyover at airport road in the capital. But after getting down from buses near this flyover passengers have to cross the road risking lives as there is no over bridge. Though there is an over bridge at Shewra area, accidents are common matters there for lack of over bridge. Executive Magistrate of Dhaka District Administration Sarwar Alam said there is six foot over bridges from Paribagh to Farmgate area. The foot over bridge adjacent to Ananda Cinema Hall has to be replaced. Presently the over bridge is closed as it is risky one. The construction work of the new foot over bridge in Panthapath area has to be finished quickly. Signs for bus stand and zebra crossing have to be made clearly visible. Transport expert Abu Naser Khan said there is no appropriate and safe road system for physically challenged people to travel in Dhaka city. There can be separate ramp for the challenged people on the footpath. There is also lack of safe roads and infrastructures for elderly persons in the capital.
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