Brief overview

Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust, in collaboration with various NGOs and universities, has been celebrating World Carfree Day and working on carfree cities since 2006. The Government of Bangladesh has officially celebrated World Carfree Day since 2016. The Carfree Cities Alliance Bangladesh has been working mostly with youth for the last couple of years to generate support for carfree cities, and WBB Trust works in collaboration with the Institute of Wellbeing to gain media and policymaker support for carfree cities and to promote changes to improve the situation for walking, cycling, rickshaws, and public transport.

Most important current issues

Dhaka is regularly ranked as one of the least livable cities in the world, in large part due to its extreme air pollution. During the Coronavirus shutdowns, air quality improved dramatically. The question is how to preserve the advantages of a less mobile, less motorized city once the pandemic wanes.

Affiliated organizations

Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Institute of Wellbeing 

Carfree Cities Alliance Bangladesh

Bangladesh Youth Climate Network

Contact

Debra Efroymson

Best local example to showcase

Dhaka is a megacity in which most transport is by walking and rickshaws, yet cars dominate the city. Thus far there has been little progress, but there are a few regular carfree street events, and a growing number of individuals and groups are on board.

Ongoing projects or campaigns

The work of Carfree Cities Alliance Bangladesh is currently subsumed under the Bangladesh Youth Climate Network, which recommends carfree cities as a great solution to the climate crisis. BYCN and CCAB continue to organize carfree street events and to generate enthusiasm for carfree cities, mostly among students. WBB Trust continues to advocate for better transport solutions among government officials.

Successful previous projects

The ten year campaign to get the Government of Bangladesh officially to celebrate World Carfree Day was successful. The campaign to designate some streets as pedestrian-only and others as pedestrian-priority in order to allow children to travel to school actively and safely has gained government support, though implementation remains a major hurdle. WBB Trust and other organizations continue to lobby against rickshaw bans, with much though not total success. Over 50 organizations and universities now participate in World Carfree Day, with the number growing each year.