Bus owners mull co-based services amid decision to halt BRT project

Taking advantage of the government's decision to discontinue the BRT project on Gazipur-Airport route, bus owners want to operate company-managed bus services using the dedicated bus corridor.

The National Bus Owners Association of Bangladesh (NBOAB) in a letter to the Chairman of Bangladesh Bus Rapid Transit Company (DBRTC) has already made a proposal to introduce both air-conditioned and non-AC buses from Gazipur to Fulbaria or Motijheel through Airport.

The NBOAB Secretary General Saiful Alam in the letter dated November 13 intended to launch 40-seated 50 AC buses and 50 non-AC buses on the route.

Recently, the government decided in principle not to continue the BRT project after spending Tk 28 billion as Roads and Highways Department placed nearly Tk 25 billion additional fund to complete the undone infrastructures and importing buses to make 20-kilometre corridor from Gazipur to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

As the project tenure ends in December, 2025, the leading implementing agency sent the revision of the development project proposal to the Planning Commission recently seeking the fund along with a time extension.

The Planning Commission (PC) rejected the RDPP for approval. Later, a committee, which was formed in direction of the PC, recommended opening the corridor for common traffic, leaving final decision regarding the BRT bus operation to the next government.

However, the government is yet to take any decision on the use of the corridor as well as the company, which was to operate and maintain BRT buses after completion of the BRT infrastructure works.

When asked about the association's proposal, its secretary general Saiful Alam told the FE that they were now working on the details of the proposal after getting a green signal from the company chairman.

He also said they might invite willing private bus operators to join the proposed company under the NBOAB.

"We are still working on the initiative as the corridor can be made commuter friendly with the private sector's investment in developing the corridor infrastructure," he said, adding that it would take at least two weeks to prepare the detailed plan.

However, the NBOAB in the letter sought six months to complete the preparation for launching the both AC and non-AC buses along with counter and electronic ticketing services.

When his attention was drawn to the possibility of launching typical company bus services that created a chaotic city bus service, Mr Saiful Alam said they will follow all the BRT Company's policy, rules and regulations to ensure commuter-friendly services.

However, DBRTC officials said the company does not have any rights to allow the private sector to operate in the BRT corridor.

He said the proposal to run the corridor by private bus owners was given during a consultation meeting by the senior secretary of Road Transport Highways Division, who is also the BRT Company's board chairman.

The move to introduce the BRT bus service has been initiated by developing necessary infrastructure under Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport project in 2012. But since the beginning, the project had gone through various challenges due to faulty feasibility study, detailed design and wrong selection of contractors of the multi agencies run project.

smunima@yahoo.com