The government is going to procure 100 electric minibuses at a cost of Tk 3.40 billion to provide safer, comfortable and reliable transport services for women, in line with the Prime Minister's directive.
To facilitate the purchase, the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) has recently sought an urgent allocation from the Finance Division in the form of either a grant or equity, according to official sources.
The move follows the Prime Minister's instruction to the BRTC to introduce an adequate number of dedicated buses for women at both district and divisional levels. However, BRTC's current fleet lacks sufficient vehicles to provide standard transport services for female commuters.
Officials said most of the corporation's existing buses are ageing and non-air-conditioned, making travel uncomfortable for women. In addition, the large buses currently operated by BRTC face difficulties on many key routes within Dhaka city, limiting access to convenient transport services.
The Road Transport and Highways Division believes that improving the safety and comfort of public transport for women will encourage greater female participation in the workforce, boosting their contribution to the economy and supporting GDP growth.
The initiative also supports the government's election pledge to develop a modern, carbon-neutral and environmentally friendly public transport system through the expansion of green transport corridors.
To bring the vehicles into service quickly, the government plans to procure the electric minibuses through the direct purchase method.
A senior official of the Road Transport and Highways Division confirmed that the Finance Division has been requested to inject capital to implement the Prime Minister's directive.
The proposal has been submitted along with BRTC's cost estimates for procuring the electric minibuses, he added.
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