Dhaka traffic speed may drop below walking pace by 2035 as urban planning failures cost billions
Photo Collected
The average traffic speed in Dhaka could plummet to four kilometers per hour by 2035, a pace slower than the average human walking speed, according to a report released Tuesday by the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP). The findings, presented at a press conference titled “Livability of Dhaka City: Challenges and Roadmap for Planned Solutions” at Banglamotor, highlight a severe urban crisis that costs the capital approximately 50 million work hours and 37 billion taka annually due to traffic congestion.
BIP President Muhammad Ariful Islam presented the keynote paper, which evaluated the city’s livability across 10 key indicators, including environmental pollution, transportation, urban amenities, land use, and waste and water management. Citing a 2017 World Bank study, the report noted that the average traffic speed in Dhaka was already down to seven kilometers per hour. The analysis further revealed that 87 percent of women report feeling insecure while using public transport, which remains largely inaccessible to the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Environmental and structural degradation are cited as primary factors in the city’s decline. The report states that brick kilns, road dust, and vehicle emissions contribute to 85 percent of Dhaka’s air pollution. Furthermore, the city’s drainage infrastructure lacks a scientific network, leading to chronic waterlogging. Of the 56 original canals in the city, 26 have disappeared entirely due to unplanned urbanization.
Public health risks, including outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya, are exacerbated by poor waste management, with one-quarter of the city’s daily waste remaining uncollected. Additionally, the rapid conversion of open spaces into residential and commercial properties has left children with virtually no access to playgrounds.
Describing the crisis as a “collection of interconnected structural failures,” the BIP proposed a seven-point recommendation plan to restore livability. These include maintaining the continuity of urban planning despite political shifts, conducting progress reviews every five years, and implementing a comprehensive national spatial plan. The institute urged authorities to mandate “planning compliance reports” for all new development projects to prevent disjointed, short-term urban interventions.
During the conference, BIP President Muhammad Ariful Islam noted that the country is already 55 years behind, as a national spatial plan has yet to be formulated since independence. Former BIP President Adil Muhammad Khan criticized the commercialization of public playgrounds and the encroachment on wetlands and canals by private residential projects. He emphasized that without strong political will to evict encroachers and protect public land, ensuring the livability of Dhaka will remain an unattainable goal.
The press conference was moderated by BIP General Secretary Muhammad Mosleh Uddin Hasan, with contributions from urban planners AKM Riaz Uddin and Talha Tasnim.
0%
0%
0%
0%
