In Dhaka city 7% trips are conducted by private cars and they occupy 70% of the road. On the other side 93% of the trips are conducted by bus, rail, rickshaw and walking. But these modes of transports are denied from facilities. So people are being forced to buy cars. An integrated transport system of walking, rickshaw and bus will be helpful to reduce the dependency on private cars. Coordination is necessary to develop public transport system and reduce dependency upon cars.

On 20^th September 2016, 11am, World Carfree Day Celebration Committee, consisted of 44 government and non-government organizations and coordinated by Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), organized a discussion meeting on ‘Control Private Cars, Develop Public Transport for a City without Congestion and Pollution’ at VIP Lounge of National Press Club.

Keynote speaker Executive Engineer Nur-e-Alam, Roads and Highways Department, said that, Carfree day was first initiated during the oil crisis of 1970s. In Bangladesh the day is being observed non-governmentally from 2006. In 2016, Bangladesh Government has taken initiative to celebrate carfree day at state level. The main objective of celebrating the day is to promote liveable cities.  

The program was presided over Jakir Hossain Majumder, Acting Executive Director, Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA); Anisur Rahman, Project Director, CASE Project and Deputy Secretary; Musleh Uddin Hasan, Associate Professor, Urban and Regional Planning Department, BUET; Adil Muhammad Khan, Deputy General Secretary, Bangladesh Institute of Planners; Saifuddin Ahmed, Executive Director, Work for a Batter Bangladesh Trust; AKM Mainuddin, Executive Director, Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA); Abu Naser Khan, Save the Environment Movement (POBA); Mahbub Rabbani, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA); Saiful Haque, Police Super, West Zone, Dhaka Metropolitan Police; Md Zakaria, Enforcement Officer, Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA); Hafizur Rahman Moyna, Chairman, Nagorik Adhikar Shongrokkhon Forum,Shahjahan Mridha Benu, Kite Federation; Mihir Bishwas, Joint Secretary, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and many more. The program was moderated by Maruf Hossain, Program Manager, Work for a Better Bangladesh trust.