World’s Most Dangerous Roads | Bangladesh – The Nawabpu… — Transcript

[Music] Me. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] Foreign. [Music] The skyline of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. More than 12 million people live in this fast-growing metropolis, and thousands more arrive every day. The streets of Dhaka have long become like the eye of a needle but are not enough streets for the increasing number of people and vehicles. [Music] Worse than the foul air is the noise on the street. Even if traffic is at a complete standstill, horns are always honking. Bangladesh lies to the east of India. Its northern border is formed by the Himalayas. The center of this congestion-plagued city are the streets around the bus station of Gulistan. Rickshaws still dominate the streets of the city. Twenty-five-year-old Bad Chad Mia has been transporting goods by rickshaw for over seven years now. Today, Badjet has to take TV sets and accessories to a shop in the old town for a logistics company. If he loads up his rickshaw to the top, he gets the equivalent of 70 cents per kilometer. He can manage two or three such trips a day. It depends on how bad the congestion is and if he can get through without problems. I might have to bribe the traffic police, but this is already included in the price. Foreign. [Music] Every day, thousands of young people like Bloodshed arrive in the capital. They dream of wealth and fast money. Most of them end up on the streets of Dhaka. The job of rickshaw driver is a good opportunity to earn money. My home village is called Sherpa. There are no jobs there, so I came to Dhaka. Life and work here are hard. There are a lot of traffic jams in Dhaka. Driving is dangerous, and rickshaws are banned on the larger main streets, but I'll manage. There are many spots where the traffic police stop us. Sometimes they beat us, but if you give them 10 cents, then they let you drive on. [Music] It's going uphill up there. You have to get off and help me push. [Music] Now we're taking a left turn. [Music] In the streets of Dhaka, things can easily get lost, so the logistics company sends its helpers along. They watch the goods and show Bansheed the way through the maze of streets. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Accidents and broken vehicles are part of the scenery. They are often the aftermath of a bit of jostling or inconsiderate drivers. The age and poor condition of the vehicles make any transport a high-risk journey. [Music] This old lorry was hopelessly overloaded. Eighteen tons of steel rods instead of the legal limit of five caused it to break down in the middle of the junction. [Music] [Applause] [Music] We've got more expenses and won't be getting our wages. We have to pay for everything out of our own pocket. It's gonna cost us dearly. [Music] This time no one got hurt, but accidents like this are typical for the streets of [Music] [Music] Dhaka. [Music] Thirty-five-year-old rickshaw driver Mohammed Azim was swept into the streets of Dhaka more than 20 years ago. Every day, he drives passengers through the city to earn a few euros. As he has a wife and two children to feed, he knows the streets and its dangers and knows exactly what to look out for. [Music] Actually, all other vehicles are dangerous for me, but I have to pay particular attention to buses, lorries, and ordinary cars. The accident happened when a van hit me from behind and held me curbside. I lost consciousness immediately. It took me three months to be able to get back onto the rickshaw, I said. [Music] There are too many rickshaw drivers in Dhaka. Any newcomer can do this job. For Azim, this means ever longer waiting times and prices are competitive. Rickshaw, how much do you want? Twenty cents, 15. No, I don't have time. Let's go. [Music] Driving on the street is not only dangerous, it's also exhausting. Azim can't manage more than three or four hours per day. Sometimes he also has to wait for over 10 hours. At the end of the day, he's often left with just a few euros. He will send most of this money to his wife and children who live in the countryside. When I sleep or walk, my joints often hurt. How much longer my body can take the strain, but I have to feed and raise my children somehow. [Music] After one hour stuck in traffic, Budget has covered the short distance to the old town. [Applause] He delivers the goods. [Applause] Particularly in the hot tropical summer, a taxi with air conditioning is the only chance to escape the overheated streets for a short while. [Music] Muhammad Amanullah's taxi is a luxury only rich people can afford. [Music] Muhammad has been steering his yellow cab through the big city jungle of Dhaka for seven years now. [Music] The worst thing is the ever-present traffic jams. They cause lots of problems. Sometimes I need two hours for a short distance you would normally need 20 minutes. This way, I have fewer customers who make hardly any money. My job's not really worth its while anymore. It's usually richer clients, business people, or foreigners who need to get to the airport who treat themselves to a taxi. Englishman David Giddings often travels to Bangladesh for business and has managed to pick up a few words of the local language. David has not managed to get used to the traffic in Dhaka. I mean, I drive in Rome. I've driven in Naples for 30 years. I live in Italy. I've been there for 30 years, but I would never drive in Dhaka. Never. I wouldn't risk it because, first, people are not insured, which is very important. My friend's brother is now mad. He was hit. Now he's completely crazy, brain damaged, and they just run away. If you have an accident, they never stop because the people would lynch them, kill them. I mean, walking across the road is a problem. The crossings are very few, and the people take no notice. They take no notice of the police. Traffic lights are just a waste of money. [Applause] [Music] Foreign. [Music] So. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] You hop across the road. You try to stop the cars with your hand. They don't easily let you go, and they get out in the middle of the traffic and check something, um, like this. It's very informal. I mean, I don't think they have a highway code, or if they do, I don't think anybody's ever read it. I don't think the police have read it because they don't stop people. Occasionally, the government tries to lay down the law. They just issued a new highway code. Please read this and take note of the new rules. Are those the new laws? Yes, I got something similar the other day. Okay. The government wants to enforce drivers keeping to their individual lanes. Actually, it's a problem for all of us, and taxi drivers are doing it wrong, but the worst offenders are the rickshaw drivers. They haven't got a clue about the highway code. I never... It's true that we often go too fast, but we're not the only ones. Our customers want to reach their destination quickly, so we simply step on it. [Music] [Applause] The replacement at almost all the major junctions regulating the flow of traffic. Without them, traffic would come to a complete standstill. People respect the officers more than the traffic signs, but even they can't really control the chaos. [Music] One. [Music] [Applause] Everyone wants to go first. If we don't put a stop to this behavior, nothing will ever change. Everyone simply drives onto the junction, jackknifes, and obstructs the rest of the traffic. No one gives in. Everyone thinks only of themselves and how to get away the quickest. [Music] It's rush hour. Not even the rickshaws can get through now. Slowly, the mood is reaching boiling point in the old town. The next transport is waiting for Budget at a wholesaler's. He loads building materials which he has to take to a building site. At least there are no dangerous buses or lorries in Odaka. It's hard work, but I don't have an alternative. I once fell off my bicycle and broke my leg. When I transport pipes like those, it's very dangerous. The streets are narrow, and I have to make sure I don't get caught anywhere. [Applause] Never finished school. Instead, he went to work in order to support his family in the countryside because Bad Chad started to work. His brother wa...

like the eye of a needle but are not enough streets for the increasing number of people and vehicles [Music] worse than the foul air is the noise on the street even if traffic is at a complete standstill halls are

always honking bangladesh lies to the east of india its northern border is formed by the himalayas the center of this congestion plague city are the streets around the bus station of gulistan rickshaws still dominate the streets of the city

25 year old bad chad mia has been transporting goods by rickshaw for over seven years now today badjet has to take tv sets and accessories to a shop in the old town for a logistics company if he loads up his rickshaw to the top

he gets the equivalent of 70 cents per kilometer he can manage two or three such trips a day it depends on how bad the congestion is and if he can get through without problems i might have to bribe the traffic police

but this is already included in the price foreign [Music] every day thousands of young people like bloodshed arrive in the capital they dream of wealth and fast money most of them end up on the streets of dhaka the job

of rickshaw driver is a good opportunity to earn money my home village is called sherpa there are no jobs there so i came to dhaka life and work here are hard there are a lot of traffic jams in dhaka

driving is dangerous and rickshaws are banned on the larger main streets but i'll manage there are many spots where the traffic police stop us sometimes they beat us but if you give them 10 cents then they let you drive on

[Music] it's going uphill up there you have to get off and help me push [Music] now we're taking a left turn [Music] in the streets of dhaka things can easily get lost so the logistics company sends its helpers along

they watch the goods and show bansheed the way through the maze of streets [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] accidents and broken vehicles are part of the scenery they are often the aftermath of a bit of jostling or inconsiderate drivers

the age and poor condition of the vehicles make any transport a high risk journey [Music] this old lorry was hopelessly overloaded 18 tons of steel rods instead of the legal limit of five caused it to break down in the middle of

the junction [Music] [Applause] [Music] we've got more expenses and won't be getting our wages we have to pay for everything out of our own pocket it's gonna cost us dearly [Music] this time no one got hurt but accidents

like this are typical for the streets of [Music] [Music] dhaka [Music] 35 year old rickshaw driver mohammed azim was swept into the streets of dhaka more than 20 years ago every day he drives passengers through the city to earn a few euros

as he has a wife and two children to feed he knows the streets and its dangers and knows exactly what to look out for [Music] actually all other vehicles are dangerous for me but i have to pay particular attention to buses lorries

and ordinary cars the accident happened when a van hit me from behind and held me curbside i lost consciousness immediately it took me three months to be able to get back onto the rec shore i said [Music] there are too many rickshaw drivers in

dhaka any newcomer can do this job for azim this means ever longer waiting times and prices are competitive rick shaw how much do you want 20 cents 15.

no i don't have time let's go [Music] driving on the street is not only dangerous it's also exhausting azim can't manage more than three or four hours per day sometimes he also has to wait for over 10 hours

at the end of the day he's often left with just a few euros he will send most of this money to his wife and children who live in the countryside when i sleep or walk my joints often how much longer my body can take the

strain but i have to feed and raise my children somehow [Music] after one hour stuck in traffic budget has covered the short distance to the old town [Applause] he delivers the goods [Applause] particularly in the hot tropical summer

a taxi with air conditioning is the only chance to escape the overheated streets for a short while [Music] muhammad amanullah's taxi is a luxury only rich people can afford [Music] muhammad has been steering his yellow cab through the big city jungle of dhaka

for seven years now [Music] the worst thing is the ever-present traffic jams they cause lots of problems sometimes i need two hours for a short distance you would normally need 20 minutes this way i have fewer customers who make

hardly any money my job's not really worth its while anymore it's usually richer clients business people or foreigners who need to get to the airport who treat themselves to a taxi englishman david giddings often travels to bangladesh for business

and has managed to pick up a few words of the local language david has not managed to get used to the traffic in dhaka i mean i drive in rome i've driven in naples for 30 years i live in italy i've been there for 30

years but i would never drive in dhaka never i wouldn't risk it because first because people are not insured which is very important my friend's brother is now mad he was hit now he's completely crazy brain damaged and they just run away if you have an

accident they they never stop because the people would lynch them kill them i mean walking across the road is a problem the crossings are very few and the people take no notice they take no notice of the police

traffic lights are just a waste of money [Applause] [Music] foreign [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] you hop across the road you try to stop the cars with your hand they don't easily let you go and they get out in the middle of the

traffic and check the something um like this it's very informal i mean it's it's i mean i don't think they have a highway code or if they do i don't think anybody's ever read it i don't think the police have read it

because they don't stop people occasionally the government tries to lay down the law they just issued a new highway code please read this and take note of the new rules are those the new laws yes i got something similar the other day

okay the government wants to enforce drivers keeping to their individual lanes actually it's a problem for all of us and taxi drivers are doing it wrong but the worst defenders are the rickshaw drivers they haven't got a clue about

the highway code i never it's true that we often go too fast but we're not the only ones our customers want to reach their destination quickly so we simply step on it [Music] [Applause] the replacement at almost all the major

junctions regulating the flow of traffic without them traffic would come to a complete standstill people respect the officers more than the traffic signs but even they can't really control the chaos [Music] one [Music] [Applause] everyone wants to go first if we don't

put a stop to this behavior nothing will ever change everyone simply drives onto the junction jack knives and obstructs the rest of the traffic no one gives in everyone thinks only of themselves and how to get away the quickest

[Music] it's rush hour not even the rickshaws can get through now slowly the mood is reaching boiling point in the old town the next transport is waiting for budget at a wholesalers he loads building materials which he has to take to a building site

at least there are no dangerous buses or lorries in odaka it's hard work but i don't have an alternative i once fell off my bicycle and broke my leg when i transport pipes like those it's very dangerous the streets are narrow and i have to

make sure i don't get caught anywhere [Applause] never finished school instead he went to work in order to support his family in the countryside because bad chad started to work his brother was able to study if we were both studying we wouldn't

have enough money and in the end we'd both fail budget's situation is typical for the life of the poor in bangladesh often there is only enough money to pay for the education of one family member banchad's family expects him to make

this sacrifice but it's a high risk plan [Music] if i ever cause an accident it would be a disaster if it's my fault and the driver is injured and his car damaged i'd need money for the repairs and

medical costs something like that would cause great hardship for the family his nephew who has had a traffic [Music] accident every day up to 200 victims of traffic accidents end up in the community hospital broken bones cranial traumas but also

more severe internal injuries are treated here the hospital barely manages to treat the many injured people lots of patients camp out in the hallways and only receive minimal treatment [Music] zavet's nephew was involved in a serious accident with the taxi

he's i saw another accident it involved three cows two people were dead on the spot our streets are horrible death traps and not enough nurses operations take place only once a week anyone who can afford it books personal treatment with the chief

physician in fracture in the midship of the humerus and this fracture has already caused nerve damage following the rounds the hospital settles into its everyday routine [Music] as there are not enough nurses most people have to have their relatives look after

and care for them [Music] this is ghulistan bus station on the outskirts of the old town all those who arrive in the capital full of great expectations end up here in the heart of dhaka buses arrive from all over the country

or leave from here bloodshed has come here to meet his uncle he wants to take the afternoon bus to sherpa his family's home village do you know where the bus to sherpa leaves from no idea like many rickshaw drivers patcha

doesn't have a bank account he could only hand over money personally or give it to a family member everything else would be too unreliable [Music] how long have you been here i just got here how are you tell my brother to be a good boy and

study [Applause] for many people in bangladesh buses are the only means of transport they can afford you pay just 1.5 cents per kilometer on the other hand the passengers have to do with no comfort whatsoever [Applause] the large coaches are the true kings of

the streets of dhaka mohammed razak is 32 and has been driving a bus for more than 10 years he doesn't mind the tightly packed space why is the woman still standing she needs to sit down i have to admit we're to blame for some

of the accidents [Music] [Music] mohammed's 22 year old helper kausa kausarakman works on the bus for up to 16 hours straight his job is to get the passengers on board to call out the buses destination and to guide the driver safely

[Music] on the one hand i like the work but i also don't like it unfortunately people don't respect us even the rickshaw drivers come up to me and beat me some passengers get aggressive when they're asked to pay

they even break the windows or set fire to they don't listen they want to get on anyway [Music] transport is a scarce commodity if you're not assertive you don't get anywhere [Music] [Applause] [Music] bus driver razak has to do more than

avoid accidents he also has to make sure that there is cash in the tilt at the end of the day bus number six is on the road from 6am to 11pm at time i take a break and the rest of

my life i spend stuck in traffic we always have to drive as much as we can for the bus is 40 euros per day we have to buy petrol on top of that if we actually want to earn some money

we really have to step on it [Music] tensions are running high on the streets it takes only a tiny spot for the powder cake to [Music] explode most of us will take off there is a huge danger that the passengers

that is to say the simple people will beat us to death so we'd rather do a runner [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] a little aside from congestion and traffic chaos there are the rickshaw stations they tend to belong to the people who rent

out the bikes the vehicles are parked downstairs the drivers sleep upstairs apart from azim some 100 drivers can stay here i would rather work in my village with my family i'm actually a farmer by trade but i don't have my own farm and no money

sleeping personal hygiene eating or repairing the rickshaw those are the everyday activities of the station the better it is run the longer the drivers tend to stay here some even live here with their families others don't actually drive they are

busy maintaining the bikes the rickshaws are old and the ramshackle streets of dhaka take their toll some of the rickshaw drivers wives earn some extra money by cooking for the men three meals a day cost the equivalent of

70 cents usually rice with vegetables and some fish is on the menu no one has to go hungry but there is no such thing as a fat rickshaw driver the food is just about enough to keep up their strength

[Music] in the afternoon azim sets off once more when the office is closed business goes well but this is also the time when traffic often comes to a complete standstill [Music] driver budget has been given a big job

[Music] in addition to the normal obstacles like chaos and lack of discipline you have to contend with the dismal state of the streets everywhere there are roadworks which are usually not cordoned off or marked as such it's assumed that the road users will

notice the hole in the street in good time the men work with simple tools as wages are so low it's cheaper than using a [Music] digger here supply pipes need to be laid [Music] uh [Music] it's been his job for over 20 years now

to keep patching up the streets of dhaka [Music] everyone who passes by here curses us the traffic jam is our fault no one likes us [Music] [Applause] you need to see that the street is very dangerous for us too

comes and falls into the ditch we're all dead we need to be careful but we also have our work to do of course [Applause] it's time for a break and a cup of tea at his station t is only a few cents

police after you no but one of them tried luckily he didn't catch me talking to a colleague bad shed quickly gets to the favorite subjects of all rickshaw drivers the street the traffic jam and the police assaults what are you gonna do

once they beat you up you give them 10 cents that's how much this is so i'm to pay for getting beaten up yeah but afterwards meanwhile azim has arrived on the outskirts of the city he's taking a lorry driver to a station

his shift only starts after dark during the day lorries are banned on dhaka streets [Music] mainly carries bricks to the building sites of the city the brickyards are outside the city gates the stones are taken to the loading

station on barges and unloaded by hand driver amjad also employs helpers who accompany him on all trips during the day there were many traffic jams sometimes i had to wait for hours at night it's not so bad and it's not so

hot either his money [Applause] once the lorry is loaded up amjat has to wait for nightfall only then can he make a start but there is always stuff to do or have a chat with colleagues dusk falls over the city

finally he can leave [Music] the traffic in the city won't calm down in the coming hours [Music] slowly amjad and his lorry make their way to the city center [Music] like every evening there is an invasion of loris

at night they supply the city with everything it needs to stay alive [Music] now they have taken over the streets [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] amjad has reached the building site and has his men unload the lorry [Applause] [Music]

foreign once an accident has happened it's all too late anyway you get beaten up or thrown in jail if i think about that i don't actually feel like driving anymore [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] it's already past midnight even though bad shed is on his way to

bed the city never sleeps [Music] [Applause] [Music] the man who rents out the rickshaw to budget keeps his humble belongings in a cupboard for him late at night the rickshaw drivers make their bed on their bikes the streets of dhaka have become bad

sheds home day and night [Laughter] [Music] [Music] hello [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] you