Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Mohammad Sajjat Ali on Thursday underscored the importance of collective and well-coordinated efforts among all concerned agencies to enhance the capital’s traffic management system.
He made the remarks while addressing the closing seminar of the Dhaka Road Traffic Safety Project (DRSP), hosted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at a city hotel.
Highlighting traffic congestion as one of Dhaka’s biggest urban challenges, the DMP chief said the police are working continuously to identify the root causes and maintain traffic flow at a manageable level.
“Urban planning must be future-oriented. We should design our city keeping long-term mobility and safety in mind,” he said, emphasizing that public awareness and strict adherence to traffic rules are key to restoring discipline on Dhaka’s roads.
JICA Chief Representative Tomohide Ichiguchi, speaking as a special guest, said the DRSP is not just a project but a reflection of Japan’s sustained partnership with Bangladesh. He noted that the initiative, launched in 2021, has achieved remarkable progress in improving road safety across the city.
He further mentioned that Bangladesh remains one of the major recipients of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA), receiving around USD 2 billion annually, and reaffirmed JICA’s continued support for the country’s development.
Project Director and DMP Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Dr. Md Zillur Rahman, in his welcome address, said the DRSP—implemented with JICA’s financial assistance—is now close to successful completion. The lessons learned from the project, he noted, would play a pivotal role in strengthening Dhaka’s traffic management and road safety initiatives.
According to JICA, the project has significantly enhanced DMP’s operational capabilities over the past three years and helped promote road safety awareness by training more than 6,400 students from 48 educational institutions.
Representatives from Dhaka North and South City Corporations, the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), the Accident Research Institute (ARI), BRTA, BRTC, JICA, and senior DMP officials were also present at the event.
