TRAFFIC management remains one of the most pressing urban governance issues in Bangladesh, particularly in rapidly expanding metropolitan areas such as Dhaka, Chattogram and Khulna. The responsibility of ensuring road safety, maintaining order and enforcing traffic laws primarily lies with the traffic police. Despite their crucial role, traffic policing in Bangladesh faces numerous challenges, including limitations in enforcement capacity, institutional issues and a significant lack of public cooperation. It is imperative to explore all these challenges in depth and highlights the urgent need for reform, technological integration and civic awareness to improve traffic management and road safety.
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Enforcement challenges
ONE of the core difficulties faced by traffic police in Bangladesh is enforcing traffic rules effectively in an environment marked by infrastructural and systemic deficiencies.
Manpower shortage and inadequate logistics support: The number of traffic police personnel in Bangladesh is grossly insufficient relative to the rapidly increasing volume of vehicles and the growing urban population. This severe manpower imbalance results in excessive workloads, heightened stress levels and inadequate coverage, particularly in congested areas, during rush hours and on special occasions such as public holidays or political events.
In earlier years, Ansar personnel were mobilised to supplement the traffic police force. More recently, civilian volunteers have been deputed to assist in traffic control and the enforcement of traffic regulations. However, this stopgap measure cannot replace the need for a well-equipped and adequately staffed professional police force.
Moreover, traffic police are compelled to work in harsh environmental conditions — extreme heat, heavy rains and high pollution levels. These factors contribute to a range of occupational health problems, including respiratory ailments, hearing impairments due to constant noise exposure and physical exhaustion. As a result, many officers become disillusioned and unwilling to continue with traffic duties after serving only a few months in the field.
Lack of modern equipment and technological integration: Another persistent challenge facing traffic management in Bangladesh is the acute shortage of modern equipment. In many urban centres, traffic police are still dependent on outdated, manual methods to regulate traffic flow. A striking and somewhat peculiar feature of this manual system is the continued use of hand signals by traffic personnel — an approach that is virtually obsolete in most cities across the world. In the absence of functioning or responsive traffic lights, these hand signals have become a primary means of controlling intersections, often confusing to both local drivers and international visitors.
Even more concerning is the frequent sight of traffic police standing in the middle of congested roads, wielding a bamboo stick or lathi to stop oncoming vehicles. This practice not only undermines the professionalism of the force but also places officers in considerable danger. High-speed vehicles, anxious to avoid being caught in a traffic jam, often accelerate at intersections, posing a serious risk to the lives of traffic personnel attempting to manually halt the flow.
The use of hand signals for traffic control has inherent limitations. A police officer stationed at a traffic point cannot realistically observe the volume of traffic from all directions — such a task exceeds human capacity. Often, the tail end of an incoming or outgoing stream of vehicles stretches far beyond the officer’s line of sight. In such cases, the officer may attempt to allocate a reasonable amount of time to clear the congestion. However, due to the lack of full visibility, decisions are made based on personal judgment rather than accurate assessment, which can lead to significant backlogs. The situation becomes even more complex when the road is zigzagged or features multiple intersections feeding into a main artery, compounding the challenges of traffic management.
Moreover, enforcement mechanisms remain largely analogue in many areas. Violations are recorded manually, and fines are issued on paper, leaving room for inefficiencies and disputes. The absence of advanced tools such as surveillance cameras, digital ticketing systems, body-worn cameras, and automatic number plate recognition technologies significantly hampers the ability of the traffic police to ensure accountability and maintain discipline on the roads. Without the integration of such technologies, efforts to modernise traffic enforcement and reduce corruption will remain constrained, and public trust in the system is unlikely to improve.
Legal and procedural delays: Even when traffic rules are violated and enforcement personnel issue tickets or take legal action, the follow-up through the judicial process is often delayed. As a result, many offenders either escape with nominal fines or avoid accountability altogether by exploiting procedural loopholes. In some cases, the absence of a digitised case tracking system or poor coordination between the police, prosecution and the courts further weaken enforcement. This lack of timely and effective legal resolution not only emboldens habitual violators but also discourages honest enforcement efforts by traffic personnel.
Corruption and irregularities: Allegations of corruption and favouritism continue to undermine the credibility and authority of the traffic police in Bangladesh. In many instances, traffic rules are enforced selectively, with offenders able to avoid penalties through unofficial settlements or personal connections. Such practices not only erode public trust but also create a culture of impunity, where violators believe they can bypass the law with money or influence. Moreover, undue political or administrative pressures further compromise the impartial enforcement of traffic regulations. These irregularities diminish the overall effectiveness of traffic management and contribute to the growing indiscipline on the roads.
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Challenges in public cooperation
THE active participation of citizens is essential for maintaining traffic discipline, yet public cooperation in Bangladesh remains alarmingly weak. The general attitude of road users — particularly among motorcycle riders — is marked by a blatant disregard for traffic rules.
In the major cities of Bangladesh, particularly in Dhaka, motorcyclists are frequently observed driving recklessly and behaving in an unruly manner. Their numbers have surged in recent years, largely due to the affordability of motorcycles and the ease of operation in congested urban environments. While motorcycles offer a practical solution for personal mobility, their misuse has become a serious concern for traffic management and public safety.
At almost every traffic signal in Dhaka, a sizable cluster of motorcyclists can be seen waiting to cross. While some riders adhere to traffic rules and signals, a significant number routinely flout them. Many accelerate aggressively the moment the signal changes — often faster than any other vehicle — while others jump red lights altogether. It is common to see motorcyclists weaving dangerously through narrow gaps between vehicles, ignoring lanes and overtaking from any direction. In some instances, they even ride on footpaths, endangering pedestrians and further undermining road discipline. Some police officers, visibly frustrated by the scale and frequency of violations, have remarked that only a ‘supernatural force’ could bring order to the situation. Their sense of helplessness reflects deeper structural issues: insufficient manpower, lack of technological enforcement tools and the absence of a sustained road safety culture among motorcyclists.
Driving in the wrong direction poses serious safety risks and disrupts traffic flow. In Dhaka, the cars taking the wrong lane reflects a disregard for traffic rules and a lack of enforcement. This not only endangers lives but also undermines public discipline on the roads. This defiance is not limited to ordinary citizens; individuals in powerful positions, including senior officials, political elites and influential business figures, frequently violate traffic laws with impunity. Such behaviour undermines the rule of law and fosters a culture of non-compliance, making enforcement increasingly difficult.
In nearly all major cities of Bangladesh, pedestrian behaviour on roads remains chaotic, impulsive and often dangerous. Many individuals cross streets at arbitrary locations and times, routinely ignoring designated crossings, traffic signals and footbridges. This behaviour is not limited to any particular group — school-going children, often accompanied by parents, are frequently seen avoiding footbridges and instead risking their lives by crossing busy roads filled with fast-moving vehicles.
Such risky actions are further compounded by a pervasive culture of carelessness and defiance. Pedestrians are often observed stepping onto congested roads while distracted — talking on mobile phones, wearing headphones, chatting with companions or casually raising a hand at oncoming traffic without pausing to check for safety. In some instances, people even climb over barbed wire dividers meant to deter these dangerous crossings. These behaviours, driven by impatience, inconvenience or ignorance, not only endanger the individuals themselves but also force motorists into sudden and risky manoeuvres to avoid accidents.
A significant factor contributing to these patterns is inadequate urban planning and poor pedestrian infrastructure. Foot over bridges are often too few, poorly maintained, or located at inconvenient spots, leading pedestrians to ignore them entirely. The resulting traffic environment is one of mutual hazard: pedestrians face the constant risk of injury or death, and drivers must remain on high alert to avoid collisions, especially in high-density areas.
Law enforcement agencies, particularly traffic police, frequently struggle to manage this situation. The scale of non-compliance is so vast that officers often experience inertia and helplessness. Enforcing pedestrian discipline requires manpower and sustained public cooperation — resources that are typically insufficient. Without a comprehensive strategy, isolated enforcement efforts tend to be ineffective and unsustainable.
In major cities of Bangladesh, a critical issue contributing to chronic traffic congestion is the lack of designated bays or terminals for heavy vehicles, particularly buses. In the absence of proper stopping points, all types of vehicles — including buses, trucks and minibuses — tend to stop haphazardly along the roadside, often at their convenience and without regard for traffic flow. This chaotic behaviour is further compounded by the absence of an effective trip or route management system. As a result, multiple buses from different operators frequently converge at the same location, waiting and competing aggressively for passengers. This clustering not only blocks portions of the road but also significantly narrows its navigability and usability for other vehicles. The outcome is a recurring pattern of severe traffic jams, road safety hazards and inefficiencies in urban mobility. Without systematic regulation and infrastructure planning, this situation is likely to worsen as the volume of urban traffic continues to grow.
In addition to pedestrian issues, the conduct of drivers and passengers also contributes significantly to urban traffic chaos. Many passengers choose to board or disembark from buses in the middle of busy roads, even when a designated stop is just a short distance away. This practice encourages dangerous and aggressive competition among bus drivers, who often stop haphazardly to pick up passengers, leading to traffic congestion and further endangering road users.
Compounding the problem is the lack of awareness and poor driving etiquette among drivers and many road users. A significant number of drivers, including licensed ones, have never received formal training, though they learn from an ustad (experienced driver), leading to reckless and unsafe behaviour. It is common to see violations such as ignoring traffic signals, driving on the wrong side of the road, using mobile phones while driving and failing to wear helmets or seat belts. Such practices have become normalised, creating a culture of impunity.
Traffic enforcement in Bangladesh faces significant challenges due to widespread public defiance and confrontational behaviour. Police officers often encounter open resistance when attempting to uphold regulations, facing verbal abuse, derogatory remarks and even threats, especially when dealing with individuals who are politically or socially influential. Such hostility not only undermines the authority of law enforcers but also erodes their morale, making an already demanding job more difficult.
This resistance is further aggravated by motorists and transport workers who, emboldened by political or union affiliations, frequently react with disrespect or aggression when stopped by the police. Public transport operators often violate traffic norms by stopping indiscriminately, overloading vehicles and aggressively competing for passengers. Additionally, the uncontrolled movement of rickshaws, motorcycles and informal modes of transport adds to the disorder, creating severe congestion and complicating traffic control efforts.
In certain instances, particularly in Dhaka city, efforts to evict illegally parked vehicles or enforce traffic regulations have been met with strong and sometimes violent resistance. Even when traffic police are accompanied by executive magistrates during such operations, they often face hostility from organised groups, including motor labour unions. There have been reported cases where enforcement teams were subjected to brick-throwing, physical confrontations and chaotic scenes involving chase and counter-chase between the police and demonstrators. These confrontations not only endanger public safety but also severely undermine the authority and morale of the enforcement agencies. The visible defiance by vested interest groups, often backed by political or organisational support, creates an environment where the rule of law is weakened, and the overall effectiveness of traffic management becomes virtually meaningless.
People frequently point to the stark contrast between the chaotic traffic management in most urban areas and the strict, well-disciplined enforcement of traffic regulations within the cantonment zones. The cantonment is often cited as a model of order and control, where vehicular movement follows clear rules and discipline. Every vehicle entering the area — such as through Jahangir Gate — is thoroughly screened, and only a limited number of vehicles are allowed access. Once inside, vehicles are required to adhere strictly to speed limits and traffic rules, with surveillance and checkpoints at various points ensuring compliance. If a driver engages in reckless or unlawful driving within the cantonment, they are likely to be apprehended promptly, with no opportunity to evade responsibility through influence or connections. There is a widespread perception that enforcement here is impartial and effective, unlike in other parts of the city where violators often escape consequences. For many, driving through the cantonment feels like navigating a controlled corridor — much like passing through the Tin Bigha Corridor in Indian territory to reach the Bangladeshi enclaves of Dohogram and Angurpota — where every movement is monitored, and rules are non-negotiable. This comparison underscores the demand for a similar standard of enforcement and discipline in the rest of the city’s traffic management system. However, it is hard to implement it in other parts of the city.
The core principle of the law is that it should be obeyed voluntarily, not imposed constantly through force. Yet, this principle is frequently violated by road users, including educated and socially responsible individuals, whose deliberate disregard for rules further erodes public discipline. Given the scale and frequency of such behaviour, it is impractical to rely solely on enforcement. Ultimately, the ingrained culture of non-compliance and lack of civic responsibility has made it increasingly difficult for the police alone to ensure traffic discipline. Without active public cooperation, a collective commitment to lawful conduct and increased public awareness and a broader shift in societal attitudes, sustainable traffic management remains elusive.
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Over-concentration in Dhaka and rise of motorised rickshaws
AS THE capital city and administrative hub, Dhaka attracts a large number of people seeking employment. Marginalised individuals often engage in rickshaw pulling, which has now shifted largely to motorised rickshaw (three-wheelers, CNG auto-rickshaws, easy bikes, etc) driving. The sheer volume of such vehicles contributes significantly to traffic congestion. A well-planned decentralisation of government and non-government offices is crucial to reducing this pressure and improving overall traffic conditions.
The pedalled rickshaw, a traditional three-wheeled vehicle manually operated by a rickshaw puller, has long been a distinctive and essential part of urban and rural transportation in Bangladesh. Powered solely by human effort, it is an eco-friendly mode of transport that provides short-distance travel within congested city streets, narrow lanes and local markets. Beyond its practical use, the rickshaw is also a cultural icon, often adorned with colourful artwork that reflects local heritage and creativity. It offers employment to a large segment of the urban poor, serving as a vital livelihood option despite the physically demanding nature of the work. However, pedalled rickshaws face increasing pressure due to modernisation, traffic restrictions and competition from motorised and battery-powered alternatives. Yet, in many neighbourhoods, they remain a preferred and trusted means of transport, particularly for their availability, affordability and zero emissions.
Battery-driven rickshaws, commonly known as electric rickshaws or e-rickshaws, have emerged as a popular mode of transport in many parts of Bangladesh, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas. These three-wheeled vehicles are powered by rechargeable batteries — typically lead-acid or lithium-ion — and are considered an environmentally friendly alternative to fuel-powered auto-rickshaws. E-rickshaws offer affordable, convenient transportation for short distances and serve as a vital source of livelihood for many low-income individuals. However, despite their benefits, the widespread use of unregulated and often poorly manufactured e-rickshaws has raised serious concerns. Many operate without proper licenses or route permits, often congesting main roads and contributing to traffic chaos. Moreover, the absence of safety standards, lack of driver training, and unregulated charging practices have added to the challenges. While e-rickshaws represent a step towards cleaner, more accessible urban mobility, effective regulation and infrastructure support are essential to ensure their sustainable integration into the transport system.
Another concern is that every day, the number of vehicles on the streets of Dhaka and other major cities across Bangladesh continues to rise at an alarming rate. This steady influx of cars, buses, motorcycles and other forms of transport demands ever more road space — space that simply does not exist in proportion to the growing volume. The physical infrastructure of Dhaka, already strained beyond its intended capacity, is increasingly unable to accommodate the simultaneous growth in both population and vehicular traffic.
Another challenge in the major cities of Bangladesh is the illegal occupation by street vendors. Eliminating the illegal occupation of streets by makeshift vendors in various neighbourhoods of Dhaka appears to be an almost insurmountable challenge. From morning until night, thousands of street vendors occupy one or both sides of the roads, typically using vans, carts or small benches. This significantly reduces the usable width of the roads, leading to chronic congestion and obstructing the smooth movement of both pedestrians and vehicles. Local businesses also suffer, as their access points are blocked and customer flow is disrupted. Residents, too, face daily inconvenience, with noise, litter and blocked entrances becoming part of their routine struggles.
However, the issue of street vending is deeply rooted in the political economy of urban survival. For many vendors, this is not a temporary or secondary occupation — it is their primary source of livelihood. With little to no capital and scarce access to formal employment, they rely entirely on the informal economy to support their families. In this context, street vending becomes a matter of economic necessity rather than choice. Efforts to evict these vendors often provoke resistance and can lead to social unrest, particularly when political interests are at stake. In many cases, street vendors are informally protected or patronised by political actors who view them as a dependable vote bank or a channel for illicit financial gains. This informal sector, though unregulated, becomes intertwined with local power dynamics, often serving as a source of illegal income for influential individuals and even members of law enforcement. Control over vending zones sometimes sparks violent confrontations among competing political or criminal groups seeking dominance over this lucrative yet informal space. Therefore, any sustainable and just solution must go beyond simplistic eviction strategies. It must balance the imperative of urban order and pedestrian accessibility with a compassionate and inclusive approach that recognises the socio-economic realities of the urban poor, ensures fair regulation, and protects both public interest and human dignity.
Dhaka has long been a city marked by frequent rallies, processions and political demonstrations, which significantly contribute to severe traffic congestion. These gatherings often take place on major roads and intersections, bringing vehicular movement to a standstill and causing widespread disruption across the city. While the police attempt to manage the situation, they are rarely able to prevent or eliminate such events, particularly when powerful political or social groups organise them. As a result, these demonstrations pose a serious obstacle to maintaining a smooth and orderly flow of traffic, compounding the city’s already complex transportation challenges and straining public patience and productivity.
As a result, the city faces a state of near-perpetual congestion, where traffic management becomes a herculean task. The situation has grown so intensely chaotic that effective enforcement of traffic laws becomes nearly impossible. The sheer volume of vehicles overwhelms the capacity of traffic police, signalling systems and urban road networks. Even well-intentioned attempts to regulate movement are frequently undermined by the gridlocked conditions, insufficient manpower and the lack of alternative transport options.
In essence, Dhaka’s current road infrastructure and urban planning are no longer adequate to support its ever-expanding demands. Without immediate, large-scale interventions — such as promoting public transportation, reducing the number of private vehicles, introducing congestion charges and expanding road capacity — law enforcement alone cannot restore order to the city’s streets.
To be continued.
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Dr Md Motiar Rahman is a retired deputy inspector general of police.