Dhaka Cycling Club and other organisations form a human chain in front of the National Press Club on Saturday, marking World Car-Free Day. — New Age photo

Green activists at a cycle procession on Thursday urged the government to promote cycling and reduce the number of private cars to ease the capital city’s stifling traffic congestion.
Dhaka Cycling Club, Bangladesh Gana Sangskriti Dal and World Active Society held the procession that started from the National Press Club and ended at Dhaka Cycling Club office to mark World Car-free Day 2012.
Save the Environment Movement, Nirapad Development Foundation and Work for Better Bangladesh Trust organised a token sit-in in front of the National Museum to mark the day, said in a press release.
At the programme, two private cars and a public bus to present a comparison between the two types of vehicles in terms of space and other features.
They also demanded cycle stands beside every passenger shed and a tax increase on car imports and more parking fees to encourage better public transport system.
At the programme Nagorik Odhikar Sangrakhan president Hafizur Rahman said blamed the ever growing number of private cars for increasing traffic congestion and road accidents in the city and environment pollution.
He said that a sustainable transport system required coordinated measures to encourage walking, use of cycles and rickshaws and other environment-friendly public transport.
Hafizur also criticised the government, saying that it neglected public transports, rickshaws and cycles used by 95 per cent of the city commuters.
The existing private cars take 70 per cent space of the road and contribute 25 per cent carbon emission, the speakers said.
They also expressed concern that if there were not immediate measures to save the environment from carbon emission by 2030 motor vehicles would contribute 57 per cent of total carbon emission.
Work for Better Bangladesh Trust advocacy officer Maruf Rahman, Peace general secretary Ifma Hossain, Nirapad Development Foundation’s Ibnul Syed Rana and Save the Environment Movement secretary Sabina Nayeem also spoke at the programme.