DNCC Moves to Free Footpaths from Encroachment

Bangla Press Desk:   The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has announced that it will continue its work through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety.

The announcement came on Wednesday (29 April) following the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ commitment of US$ 350 million to prevent traffic deaths and injuries. 

Mike Bloomberg at CityLab 2026 on Tuesday night, hosted by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Aspen Institute, said that DNCC’s road safety initiative is part of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ US$ 350 million global commitment. This will advance efforts to improve road design, and create connected cycling networks in the DNCC area.

DNCC Administrator Md Safiqul Islam Khan said that more than half of those killed in road crashes in Dhaka are pedestrians. “To ensure their safety, we have begun efforts to free footpaths from encroachment. We are also working in collaboration with Bloomberg to reduce road fatalities and make our streets safer for citizens,” he added.

Each year, more than one million people – including 5,490 deaths in Bangladesh  – lose their lives in road crashes, and another 20 to 50 million are injured, many with lifelong disabilities. Most of these deaths and injuries are not accidents, but the result of system failures including poorly designed roads, and public policies and urban design that favors vehicle speed over public health and safety.

DNCC is the largest city corporation in Bangladesh in terms of area (196.22 km2) and population (about 6 million), and one of the most densely populated (29,181/km2) cities in the world. 

Road crash is one of the major public health problems in Dhaka city, including the areas of DNCC. According to a report, 540 people were killed on Dhaka roads between 2022 and 2023. Among deaths, 56% are pedestrians, while 24% are motorcyclists, and 8% are rickshaw occupants. Most deaths were distributed among the individuals aged 20-49 indicating untimely demise of people at their most productive years. Fatalities were higher at night than during the day. Buses and trucks were the killer of the most crash victims.

In DNCC area, the Bloomberg’s initiative will support implementing proven road safety policies and infrastructure improvements, training of police officers, strengthen ⁠data and surveillance system and ⁠road safety communication support. DNCC will address the need for coordinated action to ensure safety for pedestrians and motorcyclists as well.

DNCC and Chattogram city in Bangladesh are among locations where the initiative will scale proven policies across 13 countries and in more than 30 cities. Source: daily Sun

BP/TD