Only 3 days bring ‘discipline’ on Dhaka roads

The strict enforcement of traffic rules in three consecutive days brought an apparent discipline on the city’s Hare Road today, with vehicles carrying people of all classes plying on the right track.

Only five bike riders were penalised for taking wrong route on the city’s busy road during today’s two-hour raid that started at around 5:00pm.

Vehicles from Kakrail to Hare Road were seen moving on the right tracks after office hours, reports our correspondent from the spot.

Some flag carrying vehicles, many SUVs of government officials, vehicles of law enforcers and media outlets were also seen on the right path and got stuck in traffic jam for minutes.

But, it was a common phenomenon that cars carrying ministers, lawmakers, high-ranking civil, military and police official officials, ruling party leaders and journalists going against traffic rules while others remain stuck in tailbacks.

Police started a special drive by penalising all traffic rule violators irrespective of social status for the first time on Sunday, an initiative hugely appreciated on the social media.

On the first day, police fined 57 drivers for taking the wrong side of Hare Road. A state minister, a lawmaker, several top bureaucrats, an army officer and journalists were among those penalised.

Vehicles of a senior and a deputy secretary of the home ministry, an additional secretary of the ministry of communications and an officer of the public administration ministry were also fined.

On Monday, the driver of Secretary Mafruha Sultana of the Rural Development and Co-Operatives Division was fined for the second consecutive day for travelling against traffic. Mafruha was in the car on both occasions, on Hare Road on Sunday and near Bangla Motor the next day.

On Tuesday, police penalised SUV of a top ranking police officer, a joint secretary, and more than 57 motorcycle riders in Hare Road and Bijoy Sarani.

Altaf Hossen, an inspector of Ramna Zone Traffic who was in the today’s drive, said people’s trend to violate traffic rules including taking wrong road is decreasing as they are becoming aware of it.

“We will continue our drive,” he said.