Dhaka city has been gripped by protests, demonstrations, rallies, sit-in programmes and blockades. As a result, city dwellers' woes and miseries have increased by leaps and bounds with their back getting really to the wall.
These agitations have taken place on top of some other troubles. The first and foremost one is Dhaka's environmental problem. During the on-going winter when there is little to no rainfall at all, the city has become the most polluted one in the world in many times throughout the season. Its air quality index reached nearly 200 while an AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups.
Severe traffic congestion that is one of the reasons for the city's air pollution has worsened further in recent months following every day's numerous protests. Additionally, there are other factors that exacerbate the city's traffic woes including an increasing number of rickshaws on major roads, ongoing construction projects, illegal parking, vendors' encroachments on footpaths and passengers buses parked indiscriminately.
For this, our Dhaka city which was already dubbed the world's slowest city by a 2023 report from the National Bureau of Economic Research is now a whisker away from collapse. Another reason is the city's burgeoning growing population that has already passed 23 million.
Severe traffic jams have caused serious sufferings to the daily commuters, especially during school and office hours, patients and workers in particular and people from all walks of life in general. They have to endure hours-long delays to reach their destinations and vice versa.
Why people have resorted to varied protests. It is noticed that they have taken to the streets for multiple reasons -- some demanding job regularisation, some seeking to curb corruption, some claiming to be victims of discrimination or deprived of their rights. There were also protests for not appearing in the HSC exams or demanding the exams to be held again.
The latest most troublesome one was staged by the students of the Government Titumir College, demanding university status for their institution. They blocked the roads in front of their campus and at the Gulshan-1 intersection, bringing the southeastern side of the city to a standstill. Though they paused for a week after government assurance, their agitation may restart after the deadline.
During the past six months, Dhaka city has witnessed a number of protests every day. Among them, demonstrations by Ansar and police personnel, ready-made garment workers, auto-rickshaw pullers, injured students and people during the July-August uprising were prominent. Besides, tea labourers, families of ex-BDR members, minority rights groups and various other groups demonstrated on the streets.
We plead with the government to consider justified protests and demands raised by different groups. But the government should also get tough with others who would stage unjustified and unreasonable protests in order to bring stability to the country.