North Ctg set to get modern bus terminal after 33-year wait

Workers are putting the final touches to a long-awaited project at Kulgaon-Baluchhara in Chattogram, where a modern inter-district bus terminal is nearing completion after decades of delay.
Spread across 8.10 acres, the vast asphalt-covered yard and the three-storey structure at its centre are set to mark a new chapter for public transport in northern Chattogram.
The opening of the terminal in July is expected to end a 33-year wait for a dedicated city bus terminal, easing pressure on busy roads where buses have long operated without a permanent facility.
After the Kadamtali Bus Terminal, built in 1966, and the Bahaddarhat Bus Terminal, constructed in 1993, no new bus terminal has been developed in Chattogram city.
Over the years, transport services connecting northern Chattogram upazilas, as well as Rangamati and Khagrachhari districts, expanded significantly, but no dedicated terminal was built for passengers and transport workers.

As a result, roads in Oxygen, Kulgaon, Kuwaish and surrounding areas gradually turned into makeshift terminals. Buses stopping along busy roads to pick up and drop off passengers caused inconvenience for commuters and contributed to severe traffic congestion.
Once operational, the project, implemented by Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), is expected to ease the movement of millions of commuters travelling to and from Rangamati and Khagrachhari districts, as well as Hathazari, Raozan, Rangunia and Fatikchhari upazilas.
When the project received approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) in 2018, the estimated cost was Tk297 crore, mainly due to land acquisition expenses.
After overcoming land-related complications, CCC began implementation. The deadline was extended three times, while the revised cost of physical works now stands at around Tk140 crore.
CCC Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain told the Daily Sun that the project had been completed with sincerity after overcoming land acquisition challenges.“Nearly 95% of the work has already been completed. We have also completed the tender process for leasing the terminal. We hope to open it by the end of July,” he said.
A terminal built on a grand scale
A visit to the project site reveals a facility designed on a scale rarely seen in the region.
According to project engineers, the terminal will accommodate 200 vehicles at a time. The three-storey building will have 25 boarding lanes, 14 additional waiting lanes, 22 ticket counters, a passenger lounge, an information centre and separate washrooms for men and women.
The facilities will also include a luggage room, taxi-booking booth, Wi-Fi service, restaurant, breastfeeding corner, a dedicated waiting area for air-conditioned bus passengers, offices for transport owners and workers, and accommodation facilities for drivers and helpers.
CCC Executive Engineer (Civil) Rifatul Karim said, “Almost all major works, including the terminal building, yard, passenger lounge and public facilities, have been completed. We are now carrying out the final finishing works. Construction will be fully completed in the first week of July.” 
What beneficiaries say
More than 600 buses currently operate daily on 32 routes across northern Chattogram without a permanent terminal.
As a result, passengers often have to board buses from busy locations such as Oxygen intersection and Muradpur, facing inconvenience and safety risks.
Speaking to the Daily Sun at Oxygen intersection, Tania Sultana, who regularly travels from Rangamati, said waiting for a bus there meant enduring dust during the dry season and mud during the monsoon.
“Women, in particular, suffer because there are no proper toilets or seating facilities. The new terminal will finally put an end to a long-standing hardship,” she said.
Saleh Zohur, who has been driving buses on the Khagrachhari route for more than a decade, said drivers had been forced to park on roadsides for years.
“We faced police cases and complaints from people. There was also no proper place to eat or rest,” he said.
“I have heard that the new terminal will have separate rooms for drivers and helpers. That will be a huge benefit for us,” he added.