New transport strategy for Dhaka seeks to promote walking, cycling

Infographic: TBS

An updated transport strategy for Dhaka focuses specifically on pedestrian and cyclist safety issues that were often overlooked or underemphasised in previous urban transport plans. It also takes into account the widespread use of small, often unauthorised, vehicles due to the public's heavy reliance on them.

The strategy, titled Updating Revised Strategic Transport Plan (URSTP), aims to encourage walking and cycling, promoting inclusive road design that accommodates pedestrians, bicycles, and other forms of non-motorised transport.

While it includes recommendations for large-scale infrastructure projects worth billions, many proposals can be implemented through changes in approach and minor modifications to existing facilities. If adopted, these could significantly improve traffic flow and public mobility in the capital.

Prepared in March 2025 by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR) for the government, the strategy prioritises health, environmental benefits, and cost-effective transport solutions.

Recently, the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) circulated the draft to relevant ministries, divisions, and agencies to gather feedback. Additionally, DTCA held a workshop with officials from related departments on 20 May, according to Road Transport and Highways Division sources.

To improve traffic efficiency and road safety, the strategy recommends separating lanes based on vehicle speed, including dedicated slow-speed lanes for bicycles and rickshaws where feasible.

It also proposes continuous bicycle lanes along Purbachal Highway, the BRT Line 7 corridor, and other new roads to ensure safer cycling infrastructure. The plan suggests city authorities consider adopting a 'Safe Routes to School' programme — similar to those used in many Western countries — to encourage students and school staff to walk or cycle.

City of obstacles: Dhaka's pedestrian crisis

About 38% of all trips in Dhaka are made on foot — a rate comparable to cities like London, Delhi, Paris, and Singapore. While everyone walks at least short distances for work, shopping, or recreation, low-income individuals often walk longer to save on fares.

Walking is widely recommended for health, but in Dhaka, it's far from easy. Footpaths are often narrow, with high kerbs, and obstructed by trees, utility poles, shops, construction materials — even police boxes — making walking inconvenient and unsafe.

For a population of nearly 20 million, Dhaka has only 1,840 km of footpaths — half of which are narrower than a metre. Despite several improvement projects by city corporations in recent years, streets in half the city lack any designated pedestrian paths, forcing people to walk alongside moving traffic.

Crossing the road is another major challenge — and often a dangerous one. While zebra crossings exist in some areas, expecting vehicles to stop is risky. "Pedestrians, who receive top priority in urban transport planning in many countries, are at the bottom of the list here," the report says.

There are few safe road crossings in the city, aside from a limited number of foot-over bridges, which are often inconvenient or inaccessible.

Time for a cycling strategy in Dhaka

Amid worsening traffic congestion, packed public transport, and increasing interest — especially among young working people — Dhaka holds significant potential for cycling. However, bicycles still make up only 1.3% of all personal trips, excluding walking.

Cycling has so far been almost entirely overlooked in both government and donor-funded policies and projects. It was barely mentioned in previous Dhaka transport strategies, including the 2015 Revised Strategic Transport Plan, or in past and ongoing infrastructure projects.

The latest draft strategy dedicates a section to cycling, outlining how to develop appropriate policies and facilities for cyclists. It proposes a "Cycling City" initiative at the city corporation level to promote both cycling and walking.

The strategy recommends establishing a defined bicycle road and lane network — comprising both strategic and local routes — which would require a variety of traffic engineering interventions.

Since creating bicycle roads in built-up areas is difficult, the strategy suggests that all new road projects should integrate bicycle and pedestrian paths alongside vehicle carriageways.

Skywalks can be an option

The draft strategy calls for developing a comprehensive pedestrian path network and connecting pedestrian and bicycle lanes to parks and recreational areas.

"In areas planned for new urban development, pedestrian and bicycle lanes or roads should be built according to standards prepared by the DTCA. In built-up areas, a one-way street system should be introduced to make room for pedestrian paths and bicycle lanes," the strategy states.

Taking a more inclusive stance toward street vendors — often blamed for occupying footpaths and frequently subjected to abrupt eviction drives — the strategy offers alternatives rather than enforcement-heavy responses.

It proposes the use of skywalks, similar to those in Bangkok and Jakarta, in areas where pedestrian traffic is high and footpaths are heavily occupied by street vendors. With limited scope to widen pedestrian paths in Dhaka's dense commercial zones, elevated walkways are presented as a practical solution to ensure uninterrupted pedestrian flow.

These proposals echo long-standing demands from cycling and pedestrian safety advocates. According to the World Health Organisation, more than 50% of annual road crash fatalities involve pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.

The theme of this year's UN Global Road Safety Week is "Streets for Life: Making Walking and Cycling Safe." Speaking at an event in Dhaka on 19 May, Sharmeen Rahman, Road Safety Project Coordinator at Dhaka Ahsania Mission, highlighted how severe traffic congestion leads to a loss of productive hours — and how walking and cycling can serve as effective remedies.

To make that shift possible, she stressed the need for safe, pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly road infrastructure, alongside the formulation and enforcement of a Road Safety Act.

At the same event, Neelima Akhter, executive director of the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), underscored the importance of collaboration across government and non-government sectors to promote walking and cycling.

Golam Rahman, president of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, added that the government's strategic plans must actively support the creation of a walkable and bicycle-friendly urban environment.

Restricted zones disrupt east-west traffic flow in Dhaka

Restricted zones — the Old Airport, Cantonment, and the New Airport area — disrupt east-west traffic in the heart of Dhaka, according to the updated strategic transport plan.

While relocating the new airport is not feasible in the short term due to the ongoing construction of Terminal 3, the strategy notes that shifting the Old Airport and the Cantonment area could unlock valuable space. 

"If these areas can be relocated, a new urban centre could be developed in central Dhaka, which would contribute significantly to the economic growth of the Dhaka Metropolitan Region," it reads.

Md Hadiuzzaman, a transport expert and professor at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), emphasised the need for a long-term review. 

"We must carefully assess how much land is occupied under various government institutions and evaluate the actual benefits of keeping them there," he said.

He stressed that effective urban mobility depends on synchronising transport planning with land use policy, investment strategies, and decentralisation plans. "Only then can we ensure safe, orderly, and efficient movement for Dhaka's nearly 20 million residents. It will save working hours and enhance productivity."