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Crossing a road

23 March 2004, 18:00 PM
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
By OH Kabir, Hare Street, Wari, Dhaka
23 March 2004, 18:00 PM
The greatest problem, difficulty, pain, pang and risk of a Dhaka city pedestrian, man or woman, young or old, is how, when and where he/she can cross a road from one side to the opposite side? Like wild elephants, Royal Bengal Tigers, rhinos, buffaloes, foxes, bears and monkeys motor vehicles double-deckers, buses, trucks, cars, tempos, CNG scooters and rickshaws are running on the main roads and streets of Dhaka one after another, obstructing the movement of the pedestrians trying to cross a road. Where is the Zebra Crossing at Motijheel Commercial Area, Rampura Road, Malibagh Road, Jatrabari Road, Tejgaon Road, North South Road, Topkhana Road, Nawabpur Road, Mirpur Road, Airport Road, Mohakhali Road, Folder Street/Rankin Street , Eskaton Road, Sher-e-Bangla Road, Hatkhola Road and so on and so forth? If there are a few untracked Zebra Crossings in some places, they are unplanned, neither protected nor controlled. The running vehicles never stop before any Zebra Crossing to enable the pedestrians to cross the road from one side to another safely .

What a treacherous and disastrous situation city pedestrians are facing every time they try to cross a road. Do or die to cross from one side of the road to another to reach your destination, or keep standing under the sun or rain for hours together. Moreover, most of the city roads and streets are partitioned with varieties of high and flat road dividers and road islands which make the pedestrians face a dangerous situation while crossing a road.

Do the authorities concerned, the Ministry of Communication, Department of Roads and Highways, Dhaka City Corporation and Dhaka Metropolitan Police ever feel, think and realise the problems and difficulties that the pedestrians are facing all the time?

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We demand of our government to ensure safety and security of the pedestrians of Dhaka city while crossing roads and streets amidst inefficient road traffic control. Would the authorities concerned come forward with definite 'Yes' or 'No' pragmatic steps to mitigate the untold sufferings of the pedestrians?

How can we overcome the Himalayan problem of crossing a road amidst ferocious, berserk, notorious and eccentric motor vehicle driving? By constructing high foot over-bridges and underpasses like BB Avenue, Gabtali and Karwanbazar? No, never, those have proved to be useless. We need clearly marked Zebra Crossings and small size underpasses on all important roads and streets.