Environmental organisations yesterday demanded steps to restrict private cars and increase public transports to reduce traffic congestion in the city.

The demand was placed at a sit-in programme at Shahbagh intersection by Save Environment Movement, Citizens' Rights Movement, Nirapod Development Foundation and WBB Trust.

Leaders of the organisations said although the government has taken an initiative to reduce age-old public transports, there is no initiative to restrict private cars, which is one of the main reasons of traffic jam in the city.

They said the condition of public transports is not good, but old public transports have a contribution to carrying passengers, adding that withdrawal of old transport without adding new ones would increase suffering of the passengers as well as dependency on private cars.

The leaders demanded the government increase tax on private car import to discourage the use of private cars.

They also demanded steps to increase public buses, set up passenger sheds, separate lane for bus, arrange public bus service everywhere of the city coordinating with walk, bicycles and rickshaws.

Save Environment Movement Chairman Abu Naser Khan presided the programme where Nirapod President Ibnul Sayed Rana, General Secretary of Citizens' Rights Movement Tushar Rehman, WBB Trust Programme Manager Syed Mahbubul Alam and singer Kuddus Boyati spoke.