Politics
Dhaka raises parking fees in 12 zones starting August 1st
Motorists in Motijheel, Dhanmondi and Banani will pay higher hourly rates starting 1 August under the new fee schedule passed at the 7 July council meeting.
How we reported this
At the Dhaka City Corporation meeting held on 7 July 2026, councillors voted 42 to 11 to adopt the Revised Parking Fee Ordinance, which sets new hourly charges across 12 central and commercial zones. The ordinance replaces the 2023 fee schedule and applies to on-street and off-street municipal lots managed by the corporation.
The decision follows a transport department report showing 1.2 million registered vehicles operating inside Dhaka North and South city limits as of June 2026. Corporation officials presented the measure as a way to manage curb space after the same report recorded average peak-hour speeds below 12 kilometres per hour on major arterials.
Daily Effects for Residents and Small Businesses
Under the ordinance, standard passenger cars will pay 150 taka per hour in Motijheel and 120 taka per hour in Dhanmondi and Banani, compared with the previous flat 80 taka rate. Delivery vans and three-wheelers face separate brackets beginning at 200 taka per hour. Shop owners in New Market and Gulshan told local advocates that suppliers already factor parking time into delivery prices, so the increase is expected to appear in invoices within weeks.
The fiscal note attached to the agenda projects the changes will raise 45 crore taka in the 2026-2027 financial year. That figure is based on current occupancy data collected by the corporation's parking enforcement teams between January and May 2026.
Next Steps and Enforcement
Payment will shift to a mobile app and QR-coded meters installed by 1 August. Corporation staff will begin issuing printed receipts at remaining manual booths from the same date. The ordinance states that fines for non-payment will rise from 500 taka to 1,000 taka after the first 15 minutes of non-compliance.
Policy analysts reviewing the meeting minutes note that the revenue is earmarked for road maintenance contracts in Mirpur and Uttara sections scheduled for tender in September. The corporation has not yet published the final list of exempted resident permit zones.