The New Nation - Internet Edition

We have spent crores of Taka from our public exchequers for construction of many overhead pedestrial crossings, underground passages and flyovers. We have earmarked VIP roads and made one way road traffic in various areas of Dhaka city. We have also decided to build a giant flyover from Jatrabari to Gulistan the work of whitch is temporarily suspended. But unfortunately we have not been able to make any fruitful progress in overcoming our road traffic hazards, chaos and gridlock in road traffic.

We now understand that our authorities concerned are contemplating to build an underground railway or elevated expressway to ease our problems.

We would like to advice our authorities concerned to examine the following matters seriously and sincerely before arriving at a final decision on the construction of underground railway or elevated expressway.

1. We do not have a master for Dhaka city.

2. Dhaka is prone to floods.

3. Worldwatch Institute predicts 21 mega cities including Dhaka to be affected due to rising seas by 2015.

4. Shortage of electricity in Dhaka.

5. If elevated expressway or underground railway starts operating would millions of vehicles buses, cars, trucks, rickshaws and push carts vanish and there would be no road traffic jams.

Have we ever thought, examined or found out the real cause of road traffic jams and gridlock in road traffic in Dhaka?

The area of Dhaka city is very small, people are living in crowded and conjected areas. The roads and streets are narrow, ziczak and serpent like and filled with parking of vehicles, hawkers and vendors and goods and commodities of shopkeepers. Above all there are thousands of road crossing, road corners, road squares and road junctions in Dhaka city.

Let us work out, find out and make a survey as to how many times we are required to stop here and there, wait and waste our time when we travel by any type of vehicle from one place to another say from Mirpur to Motijheel C/A, Gulistan to Airport, Shantinagar to Sadarghat, Hatkhola to Azimpur, Gulshan to Sadarghat and so and so forth.

Why don't we consider/examine the construction of some one storied two storied over bridges at some important and busy road squares, road junctions say at Farm Gate, Bangla Motor, Naya Paltan, New Market, Gulshan Market, Hatkhola, Mouchak, High Court, Moghbazar etc., etc., for movement of motor vehicles all the times, round the clock without falling into trap and gridlock of road traffic?

Issues and comments

US President George Bush threatens World War III if Iran goes nuclear: George Bush has perhaps forgotten that British forces invaded and occupied Washington the capital of the USA in 1812-1814, burnt down White House and the US president James Madison fled away from Washington like a coward. Later on the White House was painted white to cover the mark of fire. Bush has also forgotten the 9/11.

Benazir Bhutto returns to Pakistan after 8 years with a vow to reestablish democracy: Why was she greeted with bomb blasts that killed 140 persons on the first day of her home coming. What was the mystery behind killing of her brother-in-law Murtaza Bhutto while Benazir was the Prime Minister of Pakistan?

NATO to send more troops to Afghanistan: USA attacked and occupied Afghanistan. Why does USA want to involve Afghanistan to save her (US) own skin?

Rokonuddowlah, magistrate, Dhaka, submitted unconditional apology for his opposition to separation of judiciary: He is a good and sincere public servant. To err is human, forgive divine.

Steve-sweeter than surgar cultivated in Ishwardi, Malta fruit grows abundantly in Khagracharri: Why don't our public sector and private sector come forward to earn money?

O.H.Kabir

Dhaka-1203.