In an effort to reduce traffic congestion and maintain social distancing, Jobike, a ride-sharing app, in partnership with DNCC and the ICT Division, has launched bicycle-sharing service in Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Niketan on a commercial basis.
There are some 100 bicycles parked at 22 points in these areas and anyone can use the bicycles at the rate of one taka per minute using the app.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md Atiqul Islam called upon everyone for using bicycles to present a beautiful Dhaka city to the future generation while inaugurating the service at Gulshan in the capital on Wednesday.
The mayor said, “All over the world, both the rich and the poor, men and women use bicycles. It has been launched experimentally here. We have plan to expand it to Uttara and the entire DNCC in phases.”
“This will create employment for many. We are also working together for introducing separate bicycle lanes,” he said.
He urged the city dwellers to use bicycles to maintain social distance and good health.
Atiqul Islam said, “Let's use bicycles to save the environment and reduce carbon emissions. We should use bicycles to present a beautiful city to the future generations. We can even use bicycles to save money. If we want to save Dhaka city, we have to increase the use of bicycles. Using a bicycle will also save time.”
State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak said, “We all like cycling, but we do not get the opportunity. Although there is an opportunity to ride a bicycle in the village, there is no such opportunity in the city. The DNCC mayor is working to solve this problem.”
Chief operating officer of Jobike Mohammad Mehdi Reza said anyone can make a safe trip with bicycle from particular spots using our app.
“Riders can now travel only in four areas which are demarcated by fences”, he said.
Upon hearing such a great piece of news cyclists active in the capital have expressed their happiness.
Sazzadur Rahman, a young cyclist, said, “If this works well, people would be more than happy to adopt bicycle in their daily life and avoid traffic.”
Meanwhile, Mahbub Hasan Srabon, a city dweller, said, “We are happy to hear that Jobike with the help of DNCC has introduced bicycle ride sharing in city’s four areas. We want this service to be extended to other areas and separate bicycle lane as well.”
Well, bicycle has been in use in different cities of the developed countries to a great extent as there is separate lane for riding bicycle. Bangladesh has also been trying to introduce bicycle in cities as a form of traveling in the past few years with a view to reducing carbon emissions.
