Can AI defeat Dhaka’s traffic?
Can AI defeat Dhaka’s traffic?
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2026/05/25/2003857936
Publish Date: 2026-05-24 12:00:00
Source Domain: www.taipeitimes.com
INFAMOUS GRIDLOCK:
Police are looking for any tool to tame the feral Dhaka traffic, turning to AI as the latest option to bring order to the absurdity
Bangladesh’s densely populated capital, infamous for grinding gridlock, has launched its first artificial intelligence (AI) powered traffic enforcement system in a bid to bring order to one of the world’s most congested cities.
Across Dhaka, buses, cars, motorcycles and pedal rickshaws jostle for space, treating traffic signals, pedestrian crossings and even traffic police as obstacles to overcome.
On-the-spot police fines often spark arguments, confrontations are common and officers are sometimes struck by vehicles refusing to obey commands.
Photo: AFP
“Those who violate the rules turn against us,” traffic officer Sergeant Nazim Uddin said.
“But since AI was introduced, people behind the wheel have started obeying the law — and we have been spared the everyday quarrels.”
Despite repeated attempts to modernize traffic management, the city of more than 22 million people had remained reliant on manual control, with officers stretching ropes across roads before traffic lights turned green.
In April, Dhaka police linked traffic cameras to AI software designed to automatically detect violations.
Motorist Hannan Rahman Jibon was among the first drivers caught.
“I ran a red light and the owner of my car, who was sitting at home, received a text message saying that the vehicle had violated traffic rules,” said Jibon, who was hit with an automatic 2,000 taka (US$16) fine. “I am more careful now, with cameras installed in many different parts.”
Getting results
One study, by the US…
