Mohammadpur is an important and popular area of ​​Dhaka North City Corporation. Although the footpaths of some of the roads in the area have been made pedestrian-friendly, but as per observation, the 1.3 km road from Mohammadpur bus stand to Asadgate bus stand is not pedestrian friendly at all. There is an urgent need to ensure a safe walking environment on this as well as to ensure the priority of pedestrians throughout the city. The speakers opined such in an awareness campaign organized jointly by 19 organizations including Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), Poribesh Bachao Andolon (POBA), Nagorik Adhikar Songrokkhon Forum (NASF), Prottasha Madok Birodhi Songothon and Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust in front of the town hall on 15th February 2022 at 11:00 am.

Helal Ahmed, General Secretary of Prottasha Madok Birodhi Songothon presided over the program and Ahmed Hossain, Project Officer of Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust moderated it. Speakers of the program were Amir Hasan, President of Paribesh Andolan Mancho, HM Nurul Islam, Headmaster of Dhanmondi Kachikantha High School, M A Mannan Monir, Founder of Dhaka Ideal Cadet School, Tahajjot Hossain, Assistant Teacher of Rayer Bazar High School, Israt Jahan Jaya of Chayatol Bangladesh, Samiul Hasan a member of Stop Emissions Now, Talukder Rifat Pasha, Assistant Policy Officer of Institute of Wellbeing Bangladesh, Rabiul Islam, Project Officer of DAS and many more. 

Speakers said that Mohammadpur Bus Stand is one of the busiest places in the city due to the large number of workplaces and residential areas, which also connects multiple routes at the same time. As a result, a significant number of people regularly use the road from Mohammadpur bus stand to Asadgate for their daily needs. In addition, there are several educational institutions on Asad Avenue, so students and parents frequently travel on this road. But observations show that pedestrians are forced to face obstacles like broken sidewalks, illegal parking on sidewalks, police boxes, car exit ramps on sidewalks, open manholes, broken electricity poles, garbage, lack of zebra crossings, etc.Alsoaccessibility has not been ensured for people with disabilities.

The speakers also said that pedestrians are unsafe not only in Mohammadpur but in almost every area of ​​Dhaka. Although footpath has been improved in some areas, due to lack of supervision, pedestrians are not getting any benefits. Although the National Integrated Multi-Modal Transport Policy, 2013 and the Dhaka Strategic Transport Plan (STP) have clear guidelines on "Pedestrian Priority", there is no implementation. We demandformulation and implementation of the plan with the priority of pedestrians in the urban planning.

The speakers made various recommendations to create a safe and convenient walking environment, such as repairing broken sidewalks, ensuring adequate walking space on sidewalks, construction and maintenance of sidewalks ensuring adequate seating, shades, public toilets, adequate lighting, installation of zebra crossing, sign, signal lights and sign boards, construction of ramps for wheelchair users, amenitiesfor visually impaired persons, installing tactile properly, enforcement of law to stop vehicles before zebra crossing, stop illegal parking on sidewalks and roads, control reckless driving, take strict measures against motorcyclists on sidewalks, ensure vendor management, regular monitoring etc.