Streets in Dhaka are beginning to show clear signs of a behavioural shift following the introduction of the AI-based Road Transport Act Violation Detection System by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
For many motorists, especially at major intersections in Dhaka, caution now seems less optional.
It is most visible during my daily commute from InterContinental Dhaka to Farmgate -- a route that usually sees heavy traffic, restless drivers and the familiar rush to squeeze through a signal.
Bikes, cars and CNG-run autorickshaws now stop before the zebra crossing as soon as the light turns red. They no longer roll over the crossing or crowd the space meant for pedestrians, at least not as often as before.
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Bijoy Sarani intersection. Photo: Mehedi Hasan
Even more strikingly, vehicles now begin moving only when the light turns green -- a small but remarkable change for daily commuters accustomed to a very different reality.
For anyone who travels through this corridor every day, the shift is hard to miss. What once felt like an everyday battle with disorder now offers a rare glimpse of road discipline in a city where such scenes have long seemed impossible.
At several key points between InterContinental Dhaka and Jahangir Gate, 25 AI-based cameras have been installed. Currently, the system can detect five types of traffic violations through AI-based camera surveillance.
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Bijoy Sarani intersection. Photo: Mehedi Hasan
The AI-based traffic enforcement system, which was launched earlier this month, uses smart CCTV cameras to automatically detect violations, including red-light jumping, entering closed left lanes, lane violations, wrong-way driving, and illegal parking.
According to recent DMP data, more than 300 traffic cases were filed within the first week of the system being operational, while experts believe the numbers could exceed 1,000 cases once the network becomes fully operational across Dhaka.
AI-based cameras have been installed at several key intersections, including Shahbagh, Banglamotor, Karwan Bazar, Bijoy Sarani, Jahangir Gate and Airport Road. Plans are also underway to bring more roads under the system’s surveillance.
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Bijoy Sarani intersection. Photo: Mehedi Hasan
For regular Dhaka commuters, one of the clearest signs of change is how quickly drivers now react when they approach signal points.
Many who once tried to beat the red light now appear more alert, often easing off the accelerator as soon as the cameras come into view.
Even ride-sharing motorcycles -- long criticised for risky manoeuvres, sudden lane changes and using footpaths to bypass traffic -- seem more cautious than before.
The urge to break the rule is still there, but the presence of cameras appears to have made many riders think twice.
Traffic officials say that the fear of cases, supported by video evidence, has created immediate behavioural change among drivers. Under this new system, violation notices are being sent automatically to the owners of the vehicles through a digital prosecution system. DMP has warned that ignoring the notices could eventually lead to summons and even arrest warrants under existing laws.
However, despite the visible improvements, violations still continue across many roads. Wrong-way driving, signal jumping, and reckless lane cutting are still evident on Dhaka streets. Pedestrians, too, continue to ignore road-crossing rules, especially during peak hours, with many jaywalking instead of using designated crossings or footbridges.
Sharafat Ullah, a biker waiting at the Banglamotor intersection, said, “The change is noticeable. I stop at the red light before the crossing line, and I encourage others as well; some listen, some do not. It’s a process, it will take some time.”
Anika Tabassum, a pedestrian crossing the Karwan Bazar intersection, said she had noticed the vehicles were stopping more frequently at crossings over the past few weeks, adding that, “for the first time in years, crossing certain roads in Dhaka felt safer.”
The scenario could be compared to the phenomenon of “Panopticon effect” -- a theory of social control, which talks about how citizens, knowing they could be watched at any moment, change their behaviour to abide by social norms, rules, essentially policing themselves. Originally coined by philosopher Jeremy Bentham, the concept was later popularised by French philosopher Michel Foucault as a metaphor for modern, constant surveillance.
Unlike our traditional traffic policing, where enforcement often depended on the physical presence of the traffic-enforcing officer, AI cameras create the perception that violations are being monitored constantly and impartially.
Dhaka’s traffic chaos has long been linked not only to infrastructure limitations, but also to a culture of impunity and weak enforcement. In that context, the introduction of automated enforcement could become an important turning point if implemented consistently.
Still, questions remain over whether the improvements will last.
Many commuters also fear that once drivers become familiar with the camera locations, some may return to old habits in areas outside surveillance coverage.
For now, one thing is becoming increasingly clear on Dhaka’s roads: many drivers are finally beginning to obey traffic signals; not necessarily out of habit, but because the cameras are always watching.
Tarikul Islam, inspector (traffic) of Shahbagh Zone, said the AI-controlled traffic system has brought a groundbreaking change in traffic management on Dhaka streets.
“The workload of traffic police has reduced significantly. Even though there were automatic traffic signals before, police personnel still had to stand on the roads and manage them manually with hand signals,” he said.
“However, after the introduction of AI-controlled cameras, vehicles are stopping before the zebra crossing out of fear of being detected, which was previously hard to imagine. If this system is introduced nationwide, the workload of traffic police will decrease substantially, as 80 percent of their duties are related to traffic signal violations,” he added.
