Clash between traffic police and student assistants: fails to ease Dhaka gridlock, old problems persist

Staff Correspondent

The conflict between the police and students assigned to assist the traffic police in restoring order on the roads in the capital Dhaka is becoming increasingly apparent. Multiple sources have said that the conflict has arisen due to allegations of lack of training, irregularities in the performance of duties, and disobedience of traffic police instructions. This is having an impact on road management, with traffic congestion and chaos not reducing.

When a crisis arose in traffic management after the political upheaval of August 5, 2024, students took to the streets as volunteers.

Later, Dr. Yunus’ interim government and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) jointly employed students as part-time traffic assistants. Currently, about 850 students are serving in eight traffic divisions of the DMP.

However, several traffic police officers at the field level have said that a large number of students are performing their duties without adequate training. There are allegations that although a week of brief and theoretical training is provided before starting their duties, it is not enough for traffic management.

A source from the traffic police said that many students are creating confusion while making decisions due to lack of proper understanding of traffic signals, lane management and vehicle priority. This sometimes leads to students’ activities conflicting with the instructions of police members.

Several traffic officers have complained that some students are not following the direct instructions of the traffic police while performing their duties. In some places, confusion is being created about who should give the instructions—the police or the students. This is also spreading confusion among drivers and pedestrians.

There are also complaints about the time spent on duty. According to the rules, students are supposed to do their duty for four hours every day, but in many cases, they are leaving their duties without completing the allotted time, police said. Some are also absent from their duty stations beyond the allotted time, police said.

A DMP traffic sergeant said, “A certain number of manpower is required at a crossing. If students don’t arrive on time or leave early, we have to handle the entire area with fewer people.”

There are also different complaints from students. They say that they are facing problems on the field due to the lack of adequate security and clear distribution of responsibilities. Many students said that they are sometimes subjected to humiliating behavior due to the lack of coordination with the traffic police.

Meanwhile, the experiences of city dwellers are also mixed. Some say that traffic is somewhat controlled when students are present. Others say that traffic congestion is increasing due to different instructions from police and students at the same intersection.

A joint commissioner of the DMP’s traffic department told BD Digest that traffic management is being facilitated with the help of students, but there is a lack of coordination in some areas. He also said that work is underway to ensure training and discipline.

Currently, the government’s allocation for students is until June. A final decision has not been made on whether the program will continue after this period.