The 13th Anniversary of the Bangladesh Cycle Lane Implementation Council celebrated
The Bangladesh Cycle Lane Implementation Council was created in 2010 to address public health, protect the environment, combat climate change, reduce urban traffic congestion, and establish a safe cycling network.
In April 2010, a group of environmentalists and bicycle enthusiasts from Dhaka formed an organization to push for dedicated bike lanes and parking in Bangladesh named “Bangladesh Cycle Lane Implementation Council”,
which was led by eminent social worker and organizer Md. Aminul Islam Tubbus. Since then, every year on the first Friday of the month of April, this day has been celebrated as the foundation anniversary of the organization.
Last April 5 was the first Friday of April 2024. On this day, the 13th founding anniversary of Bangladesh Cycle Lane Implementation Parishad was held in the Brand and Life Hospital’s seminar room located in Crescent Plaza, Green Road, capital, on a very small scale, as it was the holy month of Ramadan.
The theme of the 13th founding anniversary of the Bangladesh Cycle Lane Implementation Council was “Obey Traffic Laws, Implement Separate Cycle Lanes”.
Keeping this theme in mind, Bangladesh Cycle Lane Implementation Council along with nationally based honor organizations started the program of the day with a short cycle rally and roadsides meeting at Green Road in Dhaka at 4-30 pm.
Following the discussion meeting, an Iftar and a documentary exhibition were organized. The program was concluded by the distribution of the Holy Quran among the participants’ courtesy of Nurul Islam Foundation.
Chairman of the organization Md. Aminul Islam Tubbus presided over the discussion meeting, former chairman of Bangladesh Safe Food Authority Mushtaq Hasan Muh Iftikhar was present as the chief guest. MD Mahfuzur Rahman, an environmentalist and Additional Chief Engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board, and Al Amin bin Hashimwas, a writer-artist, researcher, and archivist, attended as special guests.
Mr. Fakrul Hossain, CEO of Brand and Life Hospital, Mohammad Tahajjat Hossain, President of the Dhanmondi Tourist Cyclist, MD. Shahiduzzaman Badal, Director of the Bangladesh Photo and Tourism Club, Engineer Shobhan Kumar Saha, Coordinator of the BD Tourist, Muktar Hossain, President of Dhaka Jurnalist Union, Mirpur Stunt. Boys, Mohammad Ali, Vice President of BD Click, Women Cyclist Maria Islam, representatives of various organizations and cyclists were present in the ceremony.
In the speech of the chief guest, the former chairman of Bangladesh Safe Food Authority Mushtaq Hasan Iftikhar emphasized the importance of bicycle as a vehicle to reduce environmental pollution and highlighted the timely and relevant demand for establishing separate lanes on roads for safe cycling.
During the speech of the special guest, MD Mahfuzur Rahman, Additional Chief Engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board and renowned environmentalist, highlighted the significance of bicycles as a smart vehicle of transportation in the vision of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to establish a smart Bangladesh. He described,
“In many cases, you need to appoint a driver to use the vehicle, which adds extra costs. The driver is not always available, so you can’t use the vehicle in urgent situations even if you have one.
However, if there is no fuel oil or if the motor vehicle suddenly breaks down, there is an additional problem. But bicycles do not have these problems, bicycles can be used whenever necessary.”
“There’s no need for a separate driver, fuel, expensive car purchase and maintenance costs, and extra parking space, so bicycles are very cost-effective,” he added.
“Therefore, as announced by the honorable Prime Minister to make Bangladesh a smart Bangladesh, the bicycle is a smart vehicle.
He said that environmental pollution has now reached a deadly level in Bangladesh. Air pollution especially in urban areas of Bangladesh have broken all records,” he continued and said.
“Dhaka has been ranked as the most polluted city in the world by the AQI-Air Quality Index. For several years, Dhaka has consistently been ranked as the most polluted city on account of air pollution in the world according to the Air Quality Index (AQI).
This is especially true during the dry season. The World Bank’s 2023 report says that 273,000 people in Bangladesh die each year from air pollution alone,” he informed.
He continued and said, “The main cause of air pollution is fossil fuel (petrol, diesel, octane etc.) powered vehicles. Yet we have to spend our precious foreign exchange to import fossil fuels and fossil fuel powered vehicles.
To promote safe bicycle movement, safe parking areas can be established on the side of the road, in parks, stadiums, and other locations. Then bicycles as non-fuel vehicles will spread across the country. Bicycles will be used more on roads and fewer vehicles that run on fossil fuel will be seen.”
“The bicycle can reduce fossil fuel imports and the use of fossil fuel powered vehicles, save foreign exchange, decrease environmental pollution, alleviate urban traffic congestion, increase productivity, improve people’s mental and physical well-being, and lower transportation costs. It should be the preferred mode of transportation in the country,” he hoped.
“To prevent pollution and develop the country, we need bike parking in cities and rural areas, as well as safe roads for cyclists,” he opened.
Fakrul Hossain, the director of the Brand and Life Hospital, said that for the past 13 years he has been actively participating in all the cycle lane implementation programs of the Bangladesh Cycle Lane Implementation Council. He expressed his determination to be associated with this movement in the future.
Md. Aminul Islam Tubbus, the chief organizer and president of the Bangladesh Cycle Lane Implementation Council, said in a brief speech that since its establishment, this organization has been playing a very strong role in the demands of public health, environmental protection and climate change prevention, urban congestion relief and the creation of a safe cycling network.
He mentioned that we conducted various activities such as roadside bicycle rallies, peaceful gatherings, and seminars with progressive organizations related to the environment, water resources, and human rights, in order to support our demand.
He added that many people now recognize and appreciate the importance and usefulness of riding bicycles.
“Political leaders, poets, writers, artists, athletes, environmentalists, bureaucrats, engineers, doctors, economists, agriculturists, and philanthropists supported our demand for safe bicycle infrastructure in Bangladesh. We have magnified our assertion,” he informed
Continuing his speech, he expressed hope that safe bicycle infrastructure will be established in Bangladesh soon.
As the Iftar time of Pravitra holy Ramadan is approaching, Mohammad Tahajjat Hossain, President of Dhanmondi Tourist Cyclist, Md Shahiduzzaman Badal, Director of Bangladesh Photo and Tourism Club, Engineer Shobhan Kumar Saha, Coordinator of BD Tourist Cyclist, Mohammad Riaz, President of Mirpur Boys stunt, Women Cyclist Maria Islam among others spoke shortly..
The event concluded with Iftar of the holy month of Ramadan and distribution of the Holy Quran to the dignitaries.
