If a city is safe and accessible for people aged 8 and over 80, then the city is safe and accessible for all. Thus, ensuringa safe route to school will benefit everyone, including women, children, and people with disabilities. Speakers opined such at the view exchange meeting titled "Controlling Non-Communicable Diseases by Ensuring Active and Safe Routes to School" jointly organized by AstraZeneca, Car Free Cities Alliance Bangladesh, and Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trustin Tafazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of National Press Clubon Thursday, February 17, 2022, at 11:00 AM.

GaousPearee, Director, WBB Trust presided over the meeting and Ziaur Rahman, Senior Project Manager, WBB Trust moderated it. Other speakers of the program were Abu Naser Khan, Chairman of Poribesh Bachao Andolan (POBA), Meherunnesa, Headmaster of Rayerbazar High School, M A Mannan Monir, Headmaster of Dhaka Ideal Cadet School, Landscape Architect and Academic Ahmad Al Muhaimin and Niaz Mohammad Jafri, Lecturer of Department Urban and Regional Planning of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).

Naima Akter, Project Manager of WBB Trust presented the keynote paper and she said, private cars occupy more road space and carry fewer passengers and results into the unbearable traffic congestion, high fuel consumption, excessive air pollution, road accidents, etc.The main causes of non-communicable diseases are lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating habits, tobacco consumption, alcohol consumption and air pollution. Two causes of non-communicable diseases can be prevented by ensuring safe walking environment to school.

With the help of three students of Rayerbazar High School, 10 students of BUET, made various recommendations through three designs to create a safe and comfortable environment by removing the obstacles of walking, such as removal of electricity poles, banning parking on the side of the road, removal of roadside goods of shop, increase greenery in front of houses, creating roadside pocket park, etc. At the end of the program, 30 students of Rayerbazar High School, Dhaka Ideal Cadet School and South Point School and College were declared as 'Young Advocates on NCD Prevention' who will coordinate various awareness campaigns to control NCDs.

Abu Naser Khan said, it is not possible to build a child-friendly, inclusive city without political will. Sixty percent of the city's population travels on foot, but they are ignored in urban planning and gives priority to 5-7% of the population, who own private car. We must formulate and implement our projects with emphasis on environment, public health, social development according to our national context.

Ahmad Al-Muhaymin said, roads and sidewalks are important to us, and we need to ensure the priority of children and adolescents. There are many areas in Dhaka city where roads are the only public space. As architects, our social responsibility is to build a child-friendly city. The participation of all stakeholders including planners, architects, policy makers and children should be ensured in urban development.

Niaz Md. Jafri said that walking and cycling are essential not only to prevent non-communicable diseases, but also to prevent communicable diseases like Covid. Because, it is possible to travel on foot and by bicycle while maintaining physical distance. Besides, public transport system needs to be improved. We can call a city developed observing public transportation system, not the number of private cars. We need to make our city safer for everyone from children to the elderly.

Gaous Pearee said that in our city, car parking is more important than children's playground. We are creating a sick generation and making older people more isolated. To improve the situation, it is important to work together and build a social movement.

Meherunnesa, Headmaster of Rayerbazar High School and MA Mannan Monir, Headmaster of Dhaka Ideal Cadet School, expressed their determination to continue advocacy for creating a safe and convenient walking environment for their students. Helal Ahmed, General Secretary of Pratyasha Anti-drug Club, Abu Naser Anik of Aid Foundation, Al-Amin Touhid of Ekushey Sangbad and many others also spoke at the event.