Dhaka City's Transportation Problem :Is there any solution ?
- Part 1 -

Prof. Bijon B. Sarma *

ABSTRACT :

The governments of the territory previously known as East Pakistan and now, Bangladesh have been found to take many costly measures for solving the transportation problem of Dhaka city. However, in place of solving, each of their programs has increasingly aggravated the problem.

In this article we have endeavored to find out the causes of these multiple failures. After analyzing these causes we have also presented the probable solution. While the problem of transportation of Dhaka city is the problem of a single city, in the country it is extremely importance because this one is the capital city of Bangladesh.

We have opined that Dhaka's transport problem is caused among others by the vehicles coming from all corners of the country. Naturally this part of the problem is beyond the reach of the urban authorities and has to be addressed in the national level. We have also shown that various governments took up programs which have profusely enriched the concerned technical and administrative personnel.

Even though the problem could have been addressed in unique way applicable in the context of Bangladesh, neither the planners and other experts nor the government ever endeavored to do the same. On the other hand they followed examples followed by countries having entirely different context. The transportation problem needs immediate solution. Its solution would act as blessing not only for Dhaka city, but for the entire country.

INTRODUCTION :

Starting from the first government formed by Bangladesh Awami League in 1971, all the governments of this territory took many steps to solve the "transportation problem of Dhaka city" and all have failed. The present government also has taken up some measures with apparent signs of failure.

The government has also declared "lucrative and safe policies" like :
(i) underground railway,
(ii) mono-rail,
(iii) flyovers,
(iv) elevated expressways etc.

Any person with little intelligence might understand that these measures also would be proved failure in the long run. In connection with these ambitious, big budget and long term policies we have used two terms, "lucrative" and "safe". These policies are "lucrative" because there remains "play of big money" from which all the associated persons can make money. These policies are also "safe", because there exists almost no accountability in such projects.

Such expensive projects need longer time, like ten or more years, to be materialized. After the project is finished it may be seen that those who advocated it as "excellent solution" have safely disappeared from the scene. The high ranking political personals may have taken shelter in foreign countries, bureaucrats might have gone on retirement and politicians, changed parties. And even if any related person is asked "why the project did not give the predicted result" the possible and safe reply would be, "well, other unforeseen developments nullified the solution".

We all know, how bravely the advocators of of flyover told in its favor, even though some others opined that those would create more problems. The advocators won because of the financial attraction of such project. Now a number of costly flyovers have been constructed in the city and these have created even greater problems. "Why ?" If one raises the question with the advocators they would give excuses like "number of cars, or buses, or people have increased beyond our estimation, the city expanded beyond our expectations" and so on.

The solution like "underground rail line or Metro", however, is really capable of solving the transportation problem with the creation of no or very little hazards. But no sensible and patriotic citizen of Bangladesh should ever advocate this solution because of its huge cost.

Taking such a costly, lavish and complex project for solving one single problem of only one city of a poor, flood-prone, technologically lower-mid level country like Bangladesh should be considered nothing but mockery for the poor and distressed citizens. It may be interesting to note that while the entire country is suffering from numerous problems, Dhaka city even has not other crucial problems like scarcity of quality drinking water, sewerage problem, power shortage etc.

WHY THE AUTHORITIES FAIL :

For long (2009 – 1971 =) 38 years the authorities of Dhaka city have endeavored to solve the transportation problem and have spent millions. In such a situation it is logical to first have a look into the reasons behind their failure.

The three major reasons behind their failure may be mentioned as : (01) Kitchen-level solution, (02) Corrupt bureaucrats and political leaders and (03) Lack of prudency of the urban planners. We shall present hereunder their brief descriptions.

(01) KITCHEN-LEVEL SOLUTION : If the kitchen-maid is given the responsibility of solving the problems inside the kitchen, she would be able to do the same to the maximum extent possible for her. Since the activities and supplies of the kitchen are intricately related with other rooms of the house, for effective solution the interference of the house-owner is a must.

Similar is the case with the 'transportation problem of Dhaka city'. Here the problem is related with the entire country because people from the entire country contribute to 'transportation problem' with their visits and carrying of vehicles. The urban authorities do not have any instrument to control their flow or migration, where as the changes in their number are key factors in generation of the problem. Because of this reality we opined that the role of the Dhaka urban authorities is similar to that of the "kitchen-maid", who does not have control over some of the major influencing factors staying outside her domain.

(02) CORRUPT BUREAUCRATS AND POLITICAL LEADERS : The single strongest reason for which Bangladesh as a democratic country could not have expected level of development is, there is no transparent and well-spelt system of collection of money for bearing the cost of the political parties.

In democracy the activities of the political parties is essential and the need of money for the same is obvious. But there is absolutely no system or provision for collecting the same. In such a situation the politicians collect money from all possible sources. The ruling government manages the same from the two major sources : (a) Big projects and (b) Booties from the law breaking persons.

(a) Hundreds of millions of Taka have been spent for solving Dhaka city's transportation problems and all have failed. The ironic truth is, even though some experts correctly predicted their fates, those were taken up mostly for the cause of enriching the corrupt bureaucrats and fuelling the ruling political parties.

(b) Most of the time the people's elected leaders collect booty from persons enjoying illegal or unlawful opportunities. For example, the footpaths are meant for people's walking and not for trading. The local political leaders and monitoring personnel allow the hawkers to continue the same at the cost of kick-backs.

It will not be possible for any political party of this democratic country to take up projects entirely for satisfying the people's needs unless and until a transparent system of fund collection for the contesting political parties can be ensured.

(03) LACK OF PRUDENCY OF THE URBAN PLANNERS: The first proof of lack of prudency of the urban authorities is, they cannot even realize that they are playing the "role of the kitchen maid" in the project where 'house master's interference' is a must. It is evident that the local urban authorities do not have control over some of the internal and all of the external factors affecting the city's transportation domain. Dhaka city's transportation problem is intricately related with the following internal and external factors :
INTERNAL : (i) Government's policy regarding accommodation of inhabitants (e.g. density of population per unit area, taking into consideration the allowable heights of buildings) and commitment to strict adherence to the declared policies. (ii) Policy of car occupancy.
(iii) Policy regarding type of city's physical expansion (i.e. whether it would take place as agglomeration, fringe area absorption, satellite growth or independent development etc.)

EXTERNAL : Policy regarding entry of people and vehicle from outside the planned area.



to be continued.....