Staff Correspondent, Narayanganj

In a stakeholders' meeting, Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) Administrator A.H.M. Kamruzzaman admitted that he himself gets stuck in traffic jams in the city. He said, "Despite such suffering, I love Narayanganj. I regularly encounter traffic congestion at Chashara. To solve the footpath and hawker problems in Narayanganj, collective cooperation is essential. Whenever efforts are made to clear the sidewalks, a certain group always poses resistance.

This meeting is about how the four ongoing projects will impact the residents of Narayanganj. The opinions shared by stakeholders will be forwarded to the government in line with the projects. Everyone present spoke candidly. This is just the beginning; we will reconvene to discuss other issues and share suggestions. When the NCC conducts combined operations to manage traffic congestion, the situation improves for about an hour, but then traffic returns to chaos."

On Monday, the NCC hosted a stakeholders' meeting to discuss the impact of ongoing transportation infrastructure development projects on the residents of Narayanganj city. The event saw the participation of citizens, politicians, journalists, social organizations, and cultural figures. The meeting was presided over by NCC Administrator A.H.M. Kamruzzaman.

The meeting began with a brief documentary presentation and highlights of the five ongoing projects by the relevant officials. These projects are: 1. Panchabati Elevated Expressway 2. Dhaka-Narayanganj Double Train Line 3. Metro Rail 4. Kadam Rasul Bridge 5. Khanpur Container Port.

These five projects are currently underway, with over 50% of the work already completed in most cases. The agenda of the meeting centered on the challenges caused by the projects, which were initiated without proper coordination, leading to traffic congestion and long-term inconveniences for the residents of Narayanganj.

NCC Urban Planner Md. Moinul Hossain delivered the welcome speech, followed by presentations on each of the five projects. The final presentation highlighted the long-term impacts of these projects on Narayanganj residents, accompanied by a documentary on urban transport management. Engineer Fahad and Senior Expert Mahbub Hossain delivered timely and heartfelt speeches, emphasizing the concerns of the people of Narayanganj.

Transportation planners Mahbub Hossain and Md. Fahad remarked, "Urban development should not mean reducing walking space. Metro rail or overpasses may increase vehicle convenience but will shrink road space. What's the point of improving vehicle movement if walking becomes more difficult? In Khanpur, building an overpass from the hospital intersection to Chashara rail line may allow some cargo trucks to pass but will reduce road space due to the overpass pillars. So, what's the benefit?"

The NCC-organized stakeholders' meeting gradually turned into a forum for complaints, criticisms, and personal perspectives, as some participants failed to focus on the primary issue of how the five projects would impact Narayanganj residents.

Overall, the consensus among participants was that Narayanganj has become a gridlocked city. Key intersections such as Chashara, Kalirbazar, Greenledge Bank, and the No. 1 and No. 2 rail gates are perpetually congested, leaving residents exasperated. Walking has become nearly impossible due to the occupation of every inch of sidewalk space.

Daily Khabarer Pata Editor Advocate Mahbubur Rahman Masum expressed his frustration, saying, "While this discussion is taking place, people in Narayanganj are dying on the streets due to unbearable traffic jams. Residents are exhausted and want relief from this suffering. We don't need discussions in air-conditioned rooms; Administrator, you must save us first. We can't walk properly. If necessary, dissolve the city corporation!"

He continued, "We are already struggling, and we all know that illegal auto-rickshaws are one of the main causes of traffic jams. Despite extensive discussions, why has the NCC issued new rickshaw license plates? Immediately revoke these licenses!"