BRT bus purchase faces legal Delays amid ACC probe

The procurement of buses for the Gazipur-Airport Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor remains stalled due to legal complications arising from the cancellation of the first tender, despite the completion of a new contractor selection process in August last year.

Sources within the Dhaka BRT Company Limited (Dhaka BRT) confirmed that the board has yet to approve the evaluation committee’s report for purchasing 137 diesel-run buses for the 20-kilometre corridor. The delay is attributed to ongoing investigations by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) into allegations surrounding the cancellation of the first tender.

The ACC, suspecting either political motivations or corruption, took over the investigation following complaints from the lowest bidder of the initial tender. All relevant documents were submitted, and hearings with stakeholders were conducted, reportedly in response to media coverage and formal complaints.

Zhongtong Bus Holding Company Ltd has continued to protest the cancellation of the first tender, which was initially floated on January 15, 2023. The board scrapped the tender in early 2024, after an evaluation revealed that the three lowest bids were either from the same company or affiliated entities.

The initial procurement plan deviated from the project’s original intention of deploying articulated or electric buses on the corridor linking Gazipur with Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

A second tender was issued on April 24, 2024, following a court ruling that dismissed a writ petition filed by the Chinese company. The Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) had also previously rejected the company's complaint regarding the board’s decision to cancel the first tender. Although the contractor selection process under the new tender has been completed, the evaluation report's approval has been held up.

Officials noted that the delay also stems from the BRT project’s tenure officially ending in December 2024, with no formal extension granted yet.

“There is no major complication except that the ACC has yet to deliver its verdict. All documents have been submitted and hearings completed,” said a source close to the matter, requesting anonymity.

Another official added, “There is no point in approving the evaluation report if the project’s future is uncertain, especially when the original tenure has expired.”

Meanwhile, the Roads and Highways Department is working on the fourth revision of the BRT project proposal, seeking substantial increases in both cost and duration. Despite the fact that only 3 to 4 per cent of the construction work remains, the project—initiated 12 years ago—has been marred by poor planning and flawed design.

The interim government is reportedly keen to see the project through, despite its controversial background. Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor, Dr. Sheikh Moinuddin, who joined last month, has taken a particular interest in overseeing the BRT’s completion.

Originally undertaken as part of the Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport Project, the BRT's cost has ballooned to Tk 42.86 billion, more than double its initial budget of Tk 20.38 billion.