Sakibul Hasan

 3.2 million work hours are lost every day due to traffic congestion.

The economy loses an estimated Tk 55,000 crore annually.

Average vehicle speed in Dhaka drops to just 5-7 Km/h during peak hours. 

Roads cover only 7-8% of Dhaka’s total land area, compared with the recommended 20-25% for a well-planned city.

“Experts urge integrated planning, modern public transport and stricter traffic management for a lasting solution.”

Traffic congestion in Bangladesh’s capital is no longer just a daily inconvenience for city residents; it has become a major challenge to the country’s environment, economy, and productivity. Millions of daily commuters spend hours struck in traffic every day, consequently loss valuable work hours, declining productivity, increase fuel consumption, and significant economic damage.  The raising question remains: Will Dhaka continue to suffer from worsening jam, or will effective measures finally be taken to address the crisis?

According to the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), severe traffic jam in the capital city of Dhaka the loss of nearly 3.2 million work hours every day. As a result, the national economy suffers an estimated 550 billion Tk 55,000 crore in annual losses. Experts say that the impact extends across industrial production, healthcare, business, education and overall economic growth.

Studies conducted by the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) and the World Bank show that during peak hours, the average speed of vehicles in Dhaka has dropped to just 5-7 kilometres per hour, barely faster than an average speed person’s walking speed of around 4-5 kilometers/ hour. In contrast, the city’s average traffic speed was approximately 21 km/h in 2005, indication that vehicle speeds have fallen to nearly one-month over the past two decades-a trend experts describe as deeply alarming.

The World Bank has also warned that without effective intervention, Dhaka’s average traffic speed could fall to 4km/h in the future. Prolonged traffic congestion is also leading to massive fuel wastage and higher carbon emissions, further worsening the capital’s already critical air pollution.

Transport experts attribute the city’s chronic congestion to unplanned urbanization, a growing number of vehicles compared with limited road capacity, the rapid increase in private cars and motorcycles, an inadequate public transport system, indiscriminate passenger boarding and alighting, illegal parking, encroached footpaths and poor coordination among government agencies. Urban planners note that roads account for only 7-8 percent of Dhaka’s total land area, whereas a well-planned metropolitan city should have 20-25 percent of its land dedicated to road infrastructure.

According to the BRTA Authority, the number of registered motor vehicles in Dhaka continues to rise every year. However, the road infrastructure and public transport services have failed to keep pace with the increasing number of private vehicles, placing enormous pressure on the city’s limited road network.

Voices of Commuters

The daily suffering caused by traffic congestion is reflected in the experiences of ordinary residents.

A pedestrian said, “A journey that used to take 15 to 20 minutes now often takes more than an hour. Traffic congestion has become part of everyday life in Dhaka.”

An office worker said, “Even if leave home on time, I often arrive late at the office because of traffic congestion. It’s extremely frustrating to lose so much time every day.”

A bus driver said, “I spend more time sitting in traffic than actually driving. It reduces both the number of passengers I can serve and my daily income.”

A patient going to a hospital said, “Getting stuck in traffic on the way to the hospital is frightening. Reaching emergency medical care on time becomes very difficult.”

A student said, Traffic jam often causes me to miss classes or arrive late for examinations. It is affecting my education.”

Expert say traffic jam not only wastes time but also increases transport fuel consumption, costs, air pollution, and mental stress. Delays in transporting goods raise business costs, educational institutions, while commuters struggle to reach offices, and hospitals on time. 

They recommended fully implementing bus route rationalization, modernizing the public transport system, expanding the metro rail and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) networks, introducing smart traffic signals, enforcing traffic laws more strictly, eliminating illegal parking, and adopting integrated urban planning. They also stress the need to decentralize employment opportunities and government services to reduce pressure on the capital city of Dhaka.