Dialogue on the Intolerable Traffic Jams in Dhaka City and Possible Solutions
Context: A structured, communicative dialogue between Sajid and Raihan.
Sajid:
Phew! It took me two and a half hours just to travel six kilometers from Uttara to Farmgate today!
Raihan:
I can understand your frustration, Sajid. Traffic congestion in Dhaka has become an agonizing national nightmare.
Sajid:
Millions of productive working hours and thousands of liters of valuable fuel are squandered idling on clogged streets every day.
Raihan:
What do you think are the root causes of this unbearable gridlock?
Sajid:
Excessive centralization is the biggest problem. Everything—government ministries, top hospitals, prestigious universities, head offices—is crowded into this single capital city.
Raihan:
In addition, narrow roads, unregulated slow rickshaws mixing with heavy buses, illegal roadside parking, and widespread violation of traffic signals worsen the crisis.
Sajid:
The Dhaka Metro Rail (MRT) has brought immense relief along its completed routes, hasn’t it?
Raihan:
Undoubtedly! The Metro Rail has proved that rapid, disciplined mass transit is the only permanent solution.
Sajid:
We need rapid completion of all metro lines, automated traffic lights, decentralization of administrative offices, and strict penalties for reckless drivers.
Raihan:
True. Reclaiming our roads is essential to preserving the mental health and economic productivity of our citizens.