Instead of restricting long-haul buses, Dhaka mayors aim for less counters inside city

The Dhaka North and South city corporations, which previously declared to relocate bus terminals at the outskirts of Dhaka city to eliminate anarchy on the streets, have softened their stance and plan to remove only haphazardly placed inter-district bus counters across the city.

No counter of long-distance buses will be allowed inside Dhaka city outside of terminals from 1 April next year. Inter-district bus counters would be allowed only in Syedabad, Mohakhali and Gabtali bus terminals, said the Dhaka North and South city corporation mayors after the 25th Bus Route Rationalisation Committee meeting at Nagar Bhaban yesterday.

Dhaka South Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, president of the Bus Route Rationalisation Committee, said, "The bus terminals are not functioning properly. We want to be stricter in this regard. The Syedabad bus terminal is going through renovation which will end by March next year. We will inaugurate it on 1 April. We will also undertake all the necessary renovations of Mohakhali and Gabtali bus terminals."

He said, "Transport owners have to keep buses at their own premises or at terminals. They will not be able to park haphazardly on roads saying that they are stopping at their counters. All activities should be terminal-centric under a sound management system."

He also said, "No buses except that of Nagar Paribahan will run on route number 21, 22 and 26. An operation will be conducted from 20 December to 5 January next year to ensure this. Even Lagunas (human haulers) will not run on these routes."

Dhaka North Mayor Atiqul Islam said, "Action will be taken if any bus stops outside the terminal. Besides, there will be no haphazard ticket counters set up under umbrellas in places."

Regarding the Dhaka city corporations' decision, Additional Commissioner (Traffic) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Md Munibur Rahman told The Business Standard, "We have not received any instructions regarding this. If they need any kind of assistance from the DMP's traffic division, we will assist them as per the traffic rules."

Bijon Bihari Ghosh, owner of inter-district Econo Services which has over a hundred counters across the city and its outskirts, told TBS that they have no objection to comply with the decision but the passengers may suffer as they will struggle to reach the terminal by city transports.

"It is not a sustainable decision; rather it is just a symptom-based immediate remedy. You may get some changes from it but in the long-run and for a sustainable city it is not worthy," said Professor Dr Shamsul Haque, transportation expert, of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.

He also said a huge number of bus companies and the bus terminals inside the city are the main obstacle for traffic gridlock.   

Dhaka Nagar Paribahan to ply on two new routes from 1 April 2023

The Dhaka Nagar Paribahan will introduce two new routes in Dhaka from 1 April 2023.

The two new routes are Ghatarchar to Abdullapur via Mirpur-10 and Kalshi and Ghatarchar to Abdullapur via Mohakhali, said Dhaka South Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh.

Moreover, the 23rd route of Nagar Paribahan will be introduced on 31 January 2023 with 100 new buses. The route is from Ghatarchar to Kachpur via Mohammadpur, Shyamoli and Dainik Bangla.