Public Transport Crisis in Dhaka City, Bangladesh: failure of appropriate government policy responsible for congestion and air pollution! M. Shafiq-Ur Rahman Assistant Professor, Urban & Regional Planning Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh and Chairman, SusTrans Bangladesh Email: shafiq_urp@yahoo.com BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Transport in Dhaka City Area: 2,000 sq. k.m. Population: 12 million (2004) 24 million by 2021 Least motorized of the world! 30 MVs/1000 population 325,000 MVs Automobile usage: 8% population Only 2547 bus! No Bicycle!!! Walking & Rickshaw BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Public Transport Crisis Anxious passengers waiting for bus, struggling to get in, overcrowded bus. BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Public Transport Crisis Congestion, Poor management, Inefficient road use, Mixed traffic, Air pollution BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Number of Vehicles BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Modal Share BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Modal Share SusTrans Bangladesh Rickshaw is considerably cheaper than taxi and baby-taxi, but significantly expensive than tempo and bus. BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Motorized Vehicle Growth Increasing Motorized Vehicles……. Annual growth rate over 10%. BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Number of Motorized Vehicles Public Transport BAQ 2006 Conference

What is growing most ??? BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Air Pollution in Dhaka City Air pollution in Bangladesh kills about 15,000 people, loss $200-$800 million each year (about 0.7%- 3% of GNP). Dhaka is one of the most polluted cities of the world. Lead concentration in 1996 (Khaliquzzaman, et. al, 1997): Dhaka: 463 µg/m3; Mexico City: 383 µg/m3; Mumbai,India: 360 µg/m3. Average weekly concentration at Farmgate Commercial Area in 1998 (DoE,2000): PM: 2459 µg/m3 NOx: 61 µg/m3 SO2: 121 µg/m3. Highest concentration at Tejgoan Industrial Area in 1990s (Rahman,et.al,1999; Khuda,2001): PM: 630 µg/m3 SO2: 64-142 µg/m3 NOx: 58.9 µg/m3. Except NOx all others exceed the standard limit. Air Quality in Selected Locations of Dhaka Location Average Concentration µ/g3 SPM SO2 NOx Hatkhola 1013 22.89 37.89 Farmgate 1942 24.00 61.03 Gulshan 1096 48.88 52.41 Mohakhali 1684 58.14 44.17 Source: DoE, 2005. BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Ambient Air Quality Standards Bangladesh Standards in 1997. Dhaka Standards (microgram/m3). Pollutants Standards Avg. Time CO 10 mg/m3 (9 ppm) ([3]) 8-hour 40 mg/m3 (35 ppm) (6) 1-hour Lead (Pb) 0.5 µg/m3 Annual NOx 100 µg/m3 (0.053 ppm) SPM 200 µg/m3 PM10 50 µg/m3 ([4]) 150 µg/m3 ([5]) 24-hour PM2.5 15 µg/m3 65 µg/m3 Ozone (O3) 235 µg/m3 (0.12 ppm) ([6]) 157 µg/m3 (0.08 ppm) SO2 80 µg/m3 (0.03 ppm) 365 µg/m3 (0.14 ppm) (5) Category SPM SO2 CO NOx Industrial area/ mixed use 500 200 [1] 5000 100 Commercial area/ mixed use 400 Residential area 200 80 2000 Sensitive[2] area 30 1000 Source: DoE, 2005. [1] Bangladesh National Standard is 120µg/m3. [2] National monuments, hospitals, educational institutions. [3] Not to be exceeded more than once per year. [4] Annual average value will be <= 50 microgram/cubic meter. [5] Average will be <= 150 microgram/cubic meter for a day each year. [6] Maximum average for every 1 hr each year will be =< 0.12ppm. Source: GoB, 2005. BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Transport and Air Pollution MVs are the chief mobile source of air pollution in urban areas. Everyday 1000 MT pollutants pumped into Dhaka’s air, of which 70% comes from transport (BCL,2005). Transport sector exhausts about 55% of SO2, 70% of NO2, & 60% of CO emissions in Dhaka City (CPD,2004). High vehicular emissions Diesel-powered engines Two-stroke engines High content of lead (0.84 gm/litre) in gasoline High sulphur concentration in petroleum fuel (blend of gasoline & lubricating oil) Old & mechanically defective vehicles Overall poor traffic management. Automobile exhausts about 50-90% of lead emissions in Dhaka (Khuda,2001). BPC supplies sulphur free petrol but diesel containing 1% sulphur per litre whilst international standard is only 0.2%. Pollutants Emitted from Vehicles. Vehicle Type Pollutants (%) SO2 NOx CO Car 23 21 41 Bus 32 4 Jeep 14 22 18 Truck 17 3 Motorcycle 5 Human Haller 2 Baby-taxi 26 TOTAL 100 Source: Jaigirdar, 1998. BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Transport Policy SusTrans Bangladesh Policy for Rich !!?? Long term vision for sustainability of transport is absent. NMT is seen as hindering motorized traffic flows. Policy for Rich !!?? Banned Rickshaw, No alternative for mass people, 25% NMT users compelled to walk, Increased travel time & cost, Bus speed reduced 3.8km/hr, Traffic volume (PCE) reduced, Rich people enjoy the benefits. BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

× √ Transport Policy SusTrans Bangladesh Enforcement is completely absent. Clause 150 of Motor Transport Act, 1983. Government has not yet initiated for any restriction of baby-taxi or private cars. A complete absence of road use charge, parking charge, and congestion charge. Two-stroke baby-taxis have been banned in 1 January 2003; and replaced them by CNG operated 4-stroke baby-taxis. Lost the opportunity to improve the environment and affordable public transport service, and reduce congestion simultaneously. × √ Is possible to satisfy the travel demand ?? Desirable? BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Policy Recommendations Much of the pollution and congestion could be reduced through Develop mass public transport, promote walking, cycling, & NMT. Restrict car use, and introduce road use charging. Efficient traffic management. Strict enforcement of regulations, immediate screen-out of unfit vehicles, and complete ban on two-stroke engine. Monitoring to detect faulty vehicles & penalize the violators. Use lead or sulphur free CLEAN fuel. Conversion of petrol-engine to CNG-engine could reduce 80% smoke and emissions. Install Catalytic Converters to reduce vehicle emissions. Polluter must pay for the social cost and that money should be earmarked for air pollution reduction. Media campaign to increase people’s awareness and participation. Meaningful coordination among related agencies & departments. Develop secondary cities to reduce population growth, economic concentration, and travel pressure in Dhaka. BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh

Thank You ! BAQ 2006 Conference SusTrans Bangladesh