United News of Bangladesh

There can be few jobs as unrewarding as that of a Bangladeshi traffic sergeant. This is particularly true if you happen to be posted in its overpopulated, unplanned capital. By its very nature, the job entails long hours spent outdoors, which in this part of the world exposes you to very hot and humid conditions, apart from putting you in the thick of both air and noise pollution. On top of all that, you must deal with an unruly, irreverent populace that puts no premium on the civic sense to abide by traffic laws and can even be openly hostile to people in uniform when pulled up for their actions. On October 31, 2025, at approximately 11pm, Sergeant Md. Zahid Hossain Mintu and Constable Shahidul Haque of the Ramna Traffic Division were on night duty at Moghbazar Crossing. At that time, a private car was coming from the direction of Moghbazar Railway Gate towards Mintoo Road. When Constable Shahidul Haque Sahed, under the direction of the on-duty sergeant, signaled the car to stop, the driver ignored the signal and attempted to speed away. Read more: How to Get Traffic Updates in Dhaka: Useful Apps and Sources With the help of other traffic officers, the vehicle was eventually stopped. When asked to show vehicle documents, the occupants - Mahbub Hasan Siam (20), son of Md. Kabir Hossain, and Khairul Alam (20), both residents of Keraniganj, began shouting on the road, forcibly grabbing Constable Shahidul Haque by his police uniform, and alleging that he was a “fake police officer,” while using abusive language. Their actions constitute an offense under Section 75 of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance. Legal action was also taken against the vehicle under the Road Transport Act, 2018. Subsequently, the two accused were produced before the Special Metropolitan Magistrate, Ramna, who sentenced them to 15 (fifteen) days of simple imprisonment. This is just one story that demonstrates the challenges faced by the Traffic Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police in the course of performing their duties. Disobeying the traffic rules everywhere has now become almost normalised in the city, despite the Traffic Division’s best efforts to impose some order on the roads. As Dhaka expands further, experts warn that without comprehensive traffic management reforms and long-term planning, the capital’s roads will soon reach a breaking point — making everyday life even more difficult for millions. Recent traffic‐enforcement drives by the DMP illustrate the scale of the problem. In early November 2025, the Traffic Division filed 2,580 cases over just two days across various parts of the city, with 676 vehicles dumped and 176 towed in that period. On Nov 8, 2025 they reported filing 1,037 cases in a single day, towing 96 vehicles and dumping 277. Another earlier drive on October 21 saw 1,658 cases, with 398 vehicles dumped and 130 towed. Meanwhile, nationally, BRTA data shows alarming accident and fatality numbers: in 2023, the authority recorded 5,024 deaths in road accidents and 7,495 injuries involving 7,837 vehicles. The urban crawl City‐officials point out that Dhaka, where amenities were originally planned and designed for a much smaller population, now accommodates over 20 million residents, while thousands of new vehicles join the roads each month. According to BRTA statistics, in one recent dataset, Dhaka alone had over 43,398 buses, 42,968 covered vans, and a large volume of other vehicle types registered within its metropolitan area while the average traffic speed on Dhaka’s roads has fallen from about 21 km/h in 2006 to just 5 km/h in 2024. Commuters are bearing the brunt. “I leave home at 7am and still end up late to the office. The traffic feels endless,” said Mahmud Hasan, a private‐sector employee travelling from Mirpur to Motijheel. The toll is not just time: health costs, fuel waste, and lost productivity mount steadily. Read more: Traffic police back to work after one week Despite continued investments—such as the mega projects like elevated expressways and metrorails—the results remain patchy. Without coordinated, long-term traffic management initiatives—covering road‐space reallocation, public transport strengthening, parking regulation, the harnessing of technology, and behavioural change—the capital’s roads risk pushing everyday life closer to breaking point. Autorickshaws pose dilemma Another persistent problem is the unregulated movement of autorickshaws and battery-powered three-wheelers. Though these vehicles serve as an essential mode of transport for short distances, their sheer number and frequent violations of traffic rules make them a major source of gridlock. Many operate beyond their permitted zones, occupy key intersections, and often stop abruptly to pick up passengers — severely disrupting traffic flow. “Auto-rickshaws are convenient but undisciplined,” said a private car driver Shahin. “Many drivers ignore signals, drive against the flow, and use roads where they are banned. Without strict regulation, they will keep adding to the chaos.” According to DMP reports, unauthorized three-wheelers and easy bikes continue to enter restricted areas such as key city corridors, despite repeated drives. Traffic authorities have seized hundreds of such vehicles in recent operations, but enforcement remains difficult due to their large numbers and high commuter Equally troubling is footpath encroachment, which forces thousands of pedestrians onto already congested roads. In many areas — including Gulistan, New Market, Mirpur, and Farmgate — sidewalks remain occupied by makeshift shops, tea stalls, and parked motorcycles. Hawkers have virtually taken over walkways in commercial hubs, leaving little space for foot traffic. According to DMP officials, the lack of usable sidewalks increases the number of pedestrians walking on the roads, reducing vehicle speed and increasing the risk of accidents. “We conduct eviction drives almost every week, but the vendors return within days,” said a DMP zone officer from the Traffic South Division. “As long as there’s no coordinated rehabilitation plan for hawkers, the problem will continue.” Read more: DMP Chief calls for traffic police involvement in road accident investigations

A rickshaw puller and an auto-rickshaw passenger were sentenced to jail terms by a mobile court for obstructing traffic police from performing their duties and assaulting officers at separate locations in Dhaka city on Sunday. According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) sources, rickshaw puller Md Akhtar Hossain ignored a traffic signal at Tantibazar intersection under Bangshal Police Station. When he was asked to stop, the rickshaw puller attacked a traffic officer. Special Metropolitan Magistrate Arifur Rahman sentenced him to one month’s simple imprisonment under Section 102 of the Road Transport Act, 2018, said Deputy Commissioner (Media) of the DMP Talebur Rahman on Sunday evening. Ex-MP Zafar Alam arrested in Dhaka In a separate incident at Bottola intersection under Lalbagh Police Station, auto-rickshaw passenger Sohel Rana physically assaulted an on-duty traffic officer when the auto-rickshaw was signaled to stop. He was also sentenced to seven days’ simple imprisonment under the same section, the DC (Media) of the DMP said. DMP urged city residents and drivers to strictly follow traffic rules to maintain order in the capital.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Sazzat Ali has emphasised the need to involve traffic police in road accident investigations. "In the event of an accident, the investigation should be conducted using scientific methods, and the police's capabilities in this regard need to be improved. Though police are responsible for the roads, the crime division conducts investigations into road crashes. It is necessary to involve traffic police in such investigations or coordinate with them," he said. Sazzat Ali made the remarks while addressing a training session on Monday, arranged for DMP officers for improving skills to prevent road accidents, at the InterContinental Dhaka. International organisation Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) organised the two-day training covering techniques for accident prevention, with 60 police officers attending. DMP Commissioner orders urgent probe into July movement cases On the concluding day (Monday), the DMP commissioner, who attended the event as the chief guest, highlighted the importance of following traffic rules for maintaining road discipline and preventing road crashes. "However, many commuters do not comply with traffic rules, particularly issues like not adhering to speed limits and suddenly changing lanes, which are often responsible for accidents,” he said. He said most road crashes in Dhaka occur between midnight and morning when the roads are relatively empty, directing police officers to strictly enforce speed limits on the streets and implement existing laws to prevent road crashes. Chaired by Abdul Wadud, initiative coordinator of Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) and former additional secretary, DMP's Additional Police Commissioner (Traffic) Sarwar, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Superintending Engineer Khandkar Mahbub Alam, and senior DMP officers were also present on the occasion.  Traffic sergeants to get small arms to combat mugging: DMP Commissioner On the first day of the two-day event, "Road Policing Leadership" was discussed and on the second day, "Speed as a Key Risk Factor in Road Crashes" was focused.

A traffic police constable was killed after a lorry ran over him in the city's Uttara area early Sunday, said police. The deceased was identified as Kazi Masud, 38, of Bagerhat. He was posted at Traffic Uttara East Zone of Uttara Division. Read:BGB member killed in Bhola road accident The accident occurred around 4am when the speeding lorry hit Masud on the Dhaka-Mymensingh road in Abdullahpur during his night duty, leaving him dead on the spot, said Md Yasin Gazi, inspector (Investigation) of Uttara West police station. The body was sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital morgue for an autopsy, he added.

A traffic police constable was killed after being hit by a microbus at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Sunday morning, police said. The deceased was identified as Md Helal, 50, a constable of Mohammadpur zone of Tejgaon division of the traffic police. He hailed from Kaliakair of Gazipur. Eyewitnesses said the accident took place as the microbus hit Helal while he was on duty in front of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar around 11 am. Also read: Policeman 'killed' in Dhaka road accident Later, he was taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where a duty doctor declared him dead. Md Bachchu Mia, police inspector of DMCH police camp, said the body has been kept at the hospital morgue for an autopsy. Also read: 3 dead as van crashes into parked tractor in Cumilla