Page "Transport in Bangladesh" Paragraph 18

Traffic congestion changes during the day, and planning for trips is becoming impossible.

Not only do commuters lose valuable time stuck in traffic, they have to leave early in hopes of making up for or altogether avoid a traffic jam.

Conversely they have to wait for others trapped in the congestion, which greatly affects the daily productivity.

This is something that affects everyone irrespective of their social or economic status.

The current infrastructure also poses great problems for the elderly and youth.

With the constriction of cars and other vehicles, old and young people lack independence and means that their escorts also waste valuable time.

Walking constitutes a major mode of travel among the low-income majority.

However, this majority of pedestrians are consistently ignored in the planning of transport.

As a result of the unplanned and overwhelming traffic situation, people started using bicycles, which have become efficient transport systems but risk their lives on the dangerous streets.

Almost 80 % of all traffic fatalities in the city of Dhaka alone involve pedestrians being hit by a fuel based vehicle.

Private cars, a mere 4 % of the total vehicles on the roads, represent vehicles which take around 70 % of the road space.

Public Transportation needs to be stressed in any future policy.

Although, the change to Compressed Natural Gas ( CNG ) cars saved over 4000 premature deaths in 2009, their cheap price has spiked the total numbers of cars on the streets.

This has led to a decrease in the amount of natural gas available for other purposes.