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A respite from traffic jam, air pollution

Sabrina Karim Murshed
Abdur Rahim looked delighted to reach his office at Karwan Bazar within 15 minutes on Wednesday as he joined back after Eid holidays.
“It is unimaginable. Would you believe usually it takes nearly 45 minutes to reach there from my home at Mirpur," he said.
Though the six-day long holiday ended and people got back to work on Wednesday, festivity is still visible on city roads leaving the commuters much relieved from ever-continuing traffic congestion.
“I had to stop for only 50 seconds at traffic signals while going to Pallabi from New Market,” said Farhaduddin, a CNG autorickshaw driver. "I wish if the
roads were always deserted like this."
Hamid Ali, a private car driver, said it is unthinkable to drive on major roads without any gridlock. "But I was able to cross the flyover at Mohakhali without stopping,” he said narrating his experience.
"The other day (before Eid) I was stuck for half an hour there,” Ali recalled.
Not that the empty roads only helped people reach their destinations early, it also reduced the level of air pollution. "Air pollution in the city decreased significantly for the ban on two-stroke three-wheelers. It reduces more during holidays," said Shahana Akter of Air Quality Monitoring System.
The absence of continuous
honking of vehicles gave the city people a respite from noise pollution as well. "It is a curse if you live near a major street with heavy vehicles honking throughout the day. At least we get relief from it for these few days,” said Selimuzzaman, a resident of Mohakhali.
However, the respite period did not last long as people who left for Eid holidays started returning to the city. Most of them resumed work on Thursday or Saturday.
Moving out of residents in holidays is typical of any mega city in developing countries, Professor Nazrul Islam, chairman, Urban Planing Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, told Star City.
"At least 60 percent of total population of Dhaka is temporary residents," he said. The capital now houses around 10 million people.
He commented the temporary residents are mostly day-labourers and workers in formal sectors like garment factories and fourth-class employees who stay here leaving their families at village home. "They go back home on holidays as it Is a part of the tradition,” he said.
However, when asked the professor said these people cannot settle in Dhaka permanently as the city does not offer enough amenities. He said most of the temporary residents are under served in the city.