Traffic DCs comply with DMP chief’s order, but partially

Immediate past Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Asaduzzaman Mia took several initiatives to improve traffic management but the steps yielded little results.

After taking over as the chief of the city police, new DMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam has initiated new measures to bring order in traffic management and ease the trouble of city dwellers.

He asked deputy commissioners of four traffic divisions in the capital as well as the additional deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners to be on the streets for three hours every day to control traffic.

During visits to different areas of the city, this correspondent found that the police officers are not fully complying with the order – they performing street duty but are not staying on roads for the stipulated three hours.

Traffic sergeants and constables deployed at different city intersections told Barta24.com that deputy commissioners are coming to police boxes at key intersections everyday but staying there for 5-10 minutes.

They said during their stay at the police boxes the officers monitor duty of the sergeants and constables and give necessary instructions for better traffic control.

Additional deputy commissioners and assistant deputy commissioners are following the deputy commissioners, they said.

Sergeant Enamul working under DMP West Traffic Division told Barta24.com, “Our DC sir would visit intersections earlier too. But they have been more active after the new instruction.”

Traffic police constables Amin, Masud and Nazrul Islam said one additional deputy commissioner remains deployed at Bijoy Sarani intersection ‘all the time’.

The deputy commissioner also visits the intersection regularly as VVIPs and VIPs move through the area, they said.

When asked, DMP West Traffic Division Deputy Commissioner Md Jasim Uddin Molla told Barta24.com. “I have been performing my duty regularly – not just now. I have been doing this duty for long.”