Transportation ensures that people as well as goods and services in an economy are able to arrive from one location to another. It is indeed an integral process that is necessary for the development and stability of a nation.

Scientists in large research organizations used to conduct studies and experiments in order to devise the most efficient/least fuel consuming vehicles. But now is a different era where everyone is focusing on building a sustainable transportation system, one which emits the least amount green houses gases and minimizes the harmful impact on the environment.

Car companies such as Tesla, Toyota and Nissan are making large investments in developing the best electric vehicle of the future. The Prius Hybrid car of Toyota is becoming more and more common these days. Tesla is also making significant progress in terms of making affordable electric cars for the mass people. The cars of Tesla such as the Model S and the Roadster were very expensive and could only be afforded by the rich population. But Elon Musk, the founder, has recently announced Model X, Tesla?s first affordable electric car. Model X received brilliant response from the public in the form of numerous pre-orders for the car. The valuation of its pre-orders are more than USD 14.5 billion. This reflects that people are generally becoming more conscious of the environment and are interested to become eco-friendly.

It is a different story in Bangladesh where the transportation infrastructure is less developed. Thus it will take a while for electric cars such as Tesla and their solar powered charging stations to arrive here.

However at the 3rd EST Forum organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Infrastructure Planning Commission and the Ministry of Communication, a Strategic Transport Plan (STP) for Dhaka was developed which aims to reduce traffic congestions, increase mobility and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.      

The goals of the Strategic Transport Plan are:

• Efficiency – maximizing use of existing resources

• Mobility & Accessibility – ensure reasonable access to employment, education, health social, and services and opportunity

• Safety – develop and implement a coordinated , comprehensive set of safety standards • Affordability – ensure a balance between requirement and resources

• Achievability – develop transport operations and capital investment projects and services • Economic Development – support economic growth and competitiveness

• Social Development – support programs and efforts toward the alleviation of poverty

• Environment – minimize the transport sector?s negative impact on the environment

Some of the strategic projects outlined in the STP are given as follows:

• Underground Railway System (Metro)

• Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

• Development of Traffic Management

• Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) lanes

• Pedestrian Facilities Circular Waterway

• Elevated Express Way

• Light Railways

• East-West Connection Road

• 50 Road Projects

We are hoping that these projects will be implemented soon and the Dhaka, as well as the other parts of Bangladesh will soon start adopting the sustainable transportation system.