Single-company bus services begin on six Dhaka routes today

The government is set to launch single-company bus services on six routes in Dhaka from Sunday (1 November) as part of an initiative to bring discipline to the capital's public transport system and make bus services more passenger-friendly.

Under the Bus Route Rationalisation (BRR) initiative, the government has decided to reorganise the existing 98 operational bus routes into 32 integrated routes.

In the initial phase, services on six of the proposed 32 routes will formally begin on Sunday. The remaining routes are expected to be brought under the initiative in phases.

According to the plan of the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), buses on each designated route will be operated by a single company. Authorities hope the arrangement will reduce competition among different operators for passengers, restore discipline in bus operations and improve service quality.

DTCA Executive Director Mohammad Mashiur Rahman said the bus route rationalisation initiative had been taken to address longstanding disorder in the capital's public transport system.

There are currently 98 operational bus routes in Dhaka, which are planned to be reorganised into 32 integrated routes, he said.

He added that the plan had been developed after analysing actual passenger demand, road capacity and traffic movement data.

"We want the capital's public transport system to operate within a planned, safe and passenger-friendly framework," he said.

The six new bus routes are:

1. Shibbari Chourasta in Gazipur to Dhakeshwari Temple in Azimpur via Abdullahpur.

2. Mirpur Zoo to Chunkutia via Science Lab.

3. Ghatar Char in Basila, Mohammadpur, to Demra Staff Quarter via Shahbagh and Matsya Bhaban.

4. Basila in Mohammadpur to Kanchpur Bridge on Chittagong Road in Narayanganj via Science Lab and Jigatola.

5. Ghatar Char in Basila, Mohammadpur, to Dhour Bridge in Abdullahpur via Mirpur-10.

6. Tongi College Gate to Dhakeshwari Temple in Azimpur via Abdullahpur.