Environmentalists and rights activists have said that cyclists should be given priority on roads and tourist spots for the sake of a pollution-free environment and public health.
They demanded construction of separate infrastructure for bicycles on roads and other places, including the tourist spots in the country. They said that the facility of Bicycle Park should be provided in the tourist spots of the country.
The environmentalists and rights activists made the observations and the demand at a bicycle rally held in front the National Museum at Shahbagh in the capital on Friday (September 24, 2021).
Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Save the Environment Movement-Poba) and Bangladesh Tourist Cycling jointly arranged the rally on the occasion of the World Tourism Day-2021.
Chairman of Poba Abu Naser Khan attended the rally as the chief guest with chief coordinator of Bangladesh Tourist Cycling Aminul Islam Tubbus in the chair.
Chairman of Bangladesh Human Rights Association Md Manzur Hossain Isa, coordinator of Bangladesh Tourist Cycling Razina Akter Dunil, president of Dhaka University Cycling Club Nazmul Hasan, general secretary of Bangladesh Cycle Lane Implementation Council Arif Ahmed, vice president of BDClick Didar Hossain Patwari and Ahsan Habib of Green Force spoke on the occasion, among others.
In his speech, Abu Naser Khan said that just not for travelling, bicycle is also one of the environment-friendly main vehicles. “But it is unfortunate that we have not yet been able to make the cycling safe. One of the main objectives of today will be that we will ride bicycles safely and will not cause inconvenience to others,” he added.
The Poba chairman further said that different authorities, including the universities, should be involved in promoting awareness programmes on bicycle in a bid to remove barriers to cycling. He emphasised on constructing separate bicycle lanes on roads and parks in tourist spots in the country.
The speakers said that a cyclist travels the most in the world as bicycle is easy and affordable vehicle for safe travel. The cyclists never addicted to drugs. They keep themselves away from all evil deeds. Cycling is not just a physical exercise, it also helps develop a beautiful and healthy mindset. So, every family should be encouraged to ride a bicycle.
The speakers further said that the tourism industry of Bangladesh has immense potentiality. The country has already earned the title of middle income country and it is now important to create trade opportunities internationally. However, the Covid-19 situation has adversely affected tourism sector of the country.
Against this backdrop, tourist-cycling service should be given priority to save the current tourism industry from health risk and mitigate the crisis and impact in a short time, and restore the tourism industry in the previous position, they added.
