Mayor Annisul Huq Road: The curse of illegal parking

Mayor Annisul Huq Road, a major thoroughfare in Dhaka, is severely plagued with illegal parking.

Despite efforts by the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) to prevent vehicles from parking illegally, the road has become increasingly narrow due to the two additional rickshaw lanes. This has led to increased traffic congestion, with trucks, pickups, and covered vans continuing to park on the road, said locals.

Experts said the situation has become dire for the capital's residents, who are struggling to navigate the city due to the illegal parking on this major road. DNCC has been criticised for its inability to enforce parking laws and provide alternative parking options.

The road connects Tejgaon, Farmgate and Karwan Bazar with Mohakhali, and Banani-Gulshan-Niketon. Many people use this road, including students from at least 10 educational institutions, and employees of government and private offices.

In December 2015, late DNCC mayor Annisul Huq cleared the road of these vehicles, overcoming strong opposition from transport workers. It has thus become an embodiment of the late mayor's tireless efforts to bring down traffic congestion.

However, the road, which was named Annisul Huq Road following his death in 2017, has continued to suffer from the same problem.

"As a rickshaw-puller, navigating this road has become a daily struggle for me," said Alauddin Hossain. "Not only does this affect my income but it also increases my struggle to navigate through the road safely," he added.

Another rickshaw-puller Didar Mollah said, "I have to face verbal abuse from passengers who are getting late due to the traffic congestion."

Meanwhile, school students, who regularly use the road, have also expressed the difficulties caused by the traffic congestion.

Tariq Hossain, a student of Rajdhani High School, said, "I often arrive late to school due to the increased traffic congestion caused by parked vehicles."

Pedestrian Jannat Mirza, a private university student, said, "The mere act of walking on the road becomes a challenge for me. The parked vehicles take up much of the road, leaving little space for pedestrians like me and forcing us to walk on the edge of the road. My safety is compromised and on top of that, my time is also wasted."

Jalal Uddin, a resident of Farmgate, said many job holders are also facing difficulties in reaching their office on time due to the traffic jam.

"The illegal parking on the road by other vehicles has led to increased congestion, making it difficult for me to reach my office on time," he said.

"The long commutes also cause me to arrive at work tired, which further affects my ability to focus and perform my job effectively," said a job holder Niloy Hossain.

Mosharaf Hossain, a truck driver, said, "I understand the consequences of illegally parking on this road."

"I believe it's my responsibility to find legal parking options and avoid parking illegally. The city corporation should provide parking space options," he added.

This correspondent also spoke with 10 other drivers who echoed Mosharaf.

Contacted, Abdul Motaleb, general secretary of Bangladesh Truck Covered Van Transport Agency Owners Association, said drivers are forced to park their vehicles on the road due to a lack of alternative parking options.

"Taking legal action to remove the vehicle will not solve our problem. If the DNCC does not provide an alternative parking arrangement, the problem will continue," he added.

DNCC spokesperson Mukbul Hossain said DNCC is creating dedicated lanes for rickshaws on both sides of the road.

"The construction was set to be completed by January 31. However, it is taking some additional time. After the construction is completed, any vehicle found parked on the road will be subject to legal action," he added.

Contacted, Adil Mohammad Khan, executive director of Institute for Planning and Development, said the recent efforts to create separate lanes on the road have not been successful in easing traffic congestion.

"DNCC should engage in discussions with vehicle owners and drivers to find a solution that accommodates the needs of all stakeholders," said Adil.