About 95% of the students walk to school in Rayerbazar area. Due to lack of safe and convenient walking environment, they face various obstacles including road accidents. Considering the convenience of most of the students, it is necessary to take initiative to improve the walking environment in Rayerbazar area. Through this, people of all ages and abilities, from children to the elderly, will benefit. This was stated by the speakers at a view exchange meeting on "Ensuring Active and Safe Routes to School" organized jointly by Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust, Rayerbazar High School, Dhanmondi Kachikantha High School and Dhaka Ideal Cadet School on March 20, 2022 at 11.00 am.

Sheikh Mohammad Hossain Khokon, Councilor, Ward 34, Dhaka North City Corporation was the Chief Guest of the event. The program was moderated by Ziaur Rahman, Senior Project Manager, WBB Trust and Director Gaous Pearee presided over the meeting. Headmaster of Dhaka Ideal Cadet School M. A. Mannan Monir, Landscape Architect and Academic Ahmad Al Muhaymin were present as special guest. Sabbir Ahmed and Naima Afrin, students of Department of Architecture,BUET presented the keynote paper at the meeting.

Students Department of Architecture,BUET, with the help of three students from Rayerbazar High School, prepared three designs identifying problems while walking and possible solutions. Atiqur Rahman, an 8th standard student, is one of the three students who supported to prepare the design. In the keynote, the students identified various problems and possible solutions on their school route through design and said that the existing problems need to be solved so that the students can walk to school safely. Students do not feel comfortable walking to school due to littering, unplanned installation of electric poles, illegal parking on the side of the road,shop goods, construction materials, etc. To get rid of this, it is necessary to take steps like prevention of sidewalk occupation, vendor management, installation of traffic signs, speed bumps in front of schools, provision of zebra crossings etc.

Sheikh Mohammad Hossain Khokon, Councilor, Ward 34, Dhaka North City Corporationsaid that there are various problems in Rayerbazar area. The roads have become very narrow due to constructing thebuilding without leavingrequired roads, because of which pedestrians are suffering. Cooperation is required from the community people to evict the illegal occupants. Only then effective resultswill be obtained. A project has been undertaken to prevent water logging. We hope that from 2023, the suffering of the residents will be reduced.

Other speakers at the event said there are many stakeholders involved in building a pedestrian-friendly transportation system. Such as- City Corporation, Power Department, WASA, Dhaka Metropolitan Police etc. Through the coordination of each of these organizations, efforts should be made to build a pedestrian-friendly transportation system. If the walkway is safe for the students, then every resident of the area will benefit. There are different kinds of problems in our area. Some problems will be solved if the community people are aware. For example, the walking environment becomes uncomfortable due to littering. If we refrain from dumping garbage, this problem will be solved. Awareness needs to be raised among those who illegally store their goods on the sidewalk. Not only the locals but also their own children and relatives may be involved in accident due to their behavior. It is possible to build a pedestrian-friendly transportation system through the awareness of the government as well as the community people.

Teachers from different schools and community people of Rayerbazar area were present at the meeting.