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Dhaka Nagar Paribahan

Relief on road, doubt about sustainability

Staff Reporter
26 Jan 2022 00:00:00 | Update: 26 Jan 2022 00:03:07
Relief on road, doubt about sustainability
Passengers get on a bus of the newly-launched Dhaka Nagar Paribahan in the capital’s Motijheel on Monday – TBP Photo

Passengers in the capital say they are happy with the newly-launched Dhaka Nagar Paribahan services, but they are doubtful about its sustainability.

They say the bus service saves both time and money while making commuting convenient. They suggest the service be made sustainable by increasing the fleet and taking other necessary measures.

Matiur Rahman of Bosila, whose office is in Motijheel, said he had been commuting to his workplace for the last 15 years and the new bus service had given him relief. 

“Now I can reach office in time,” he said, adding he never had to wait for a bus after Dhaka Nagar Paribahan’s launch last month.

“The fare is also lower than other buses on the same route. I pay Tk 25 for a ride to my office while the fare is at least Tk 35 in other buses.”

He was concerned about possible anomalies and mismanagement that might cause the new service to be closed. “For example, there are passengers who travel more distance than they have paid for.”

The Bus Route Rationalisation Committee started piloting Dhaka Nagar Paribahan on December 26 last year with 50 buses of two companies – 30 of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) and 20 of Trans Silva.

The much-hyped test run covers the 28km Ghatarchar (Keraniganj)-Kanchpur Bridge route via Mohammadpur-Elephant Road-Shahbagh-Press Club-Motijheel-Gulistan-Signboard.

Many city dwellers claimed the test run had begun without properly addressing the anomalies prevailing in the capital’s transport system.

According to the bus route rationalisation model, no bus will be allowed to ply the Dhaka Nagar Paribahan route, except for those having permits for it.

However, at least 382 buses of 13 companies, including Rajanigandha, Malancha, Midlight, and Citylink, currently run on the route. This is creating a situation that prevailed before launching the new service.

Rafi, a passenger, expressed his gratitude to the city corporation authorities for the new initiative, which he said had made his regular travels from Jatrabari to Elephant Road comfortable. But he also pointed out a few things that he said should be addressed to make it a success.

“It has become my favourite transport service, especially during office hours. There is no crowd on the bus. We do not have to jostle while boarding it,” he said.

He also said if he misses a bus for any reason, it takes less than five minutes to catch the next. “Most people do not know about the new service and how it operates, including how to buy tickets and where to get on as well as get down.”

Rafi said getting down from a bus here and there is risky and creates trouble on the road, which usually happens in other buses.

He said the new service needs more bus stops so that passengers will not need to walk more to reach the one nearby.

“I think Dhaka Nagar Paribahan is going to be the best service and will bring discipline into Dhaka’s transport system if it sustains.”

Jashim, who drives a bus of the new service and previously drove Trans Silva, said there is an unhealthy competition among drivers driving buses of other companies on the Dhaka Nagar Paribahan route.

“Besides, passengers cannot often come to our counters at most of the bus stops because of crowds created by hawkers and staff of other buses,” he said.

Farid Ahmad, chief executive officer of Dhaka South City Corporation, said they would try to launch Dhaka Nagar Paribahan buses on most of the 23 routes under the bus route rationalisation model by this year.

“Our next meeting is supposed to be held in the first week of February, where decisions will be made on how many buses will be added to the existing route and others,” he added.

Md Shamsul Hoque, a civil engineering professor at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, told The Business Post, “We are calling it a test run, but it is nothing new in Dhaka. We took so many initiatives like this in the past, but those failed,”

“The same thing will happen to this as its planning was not strategic. Besides, the plan did not address Dhaka’s transport problems and prospects properly,” he said.

The transportation engineering specialist said inclusive planning is needed for such initiatives but “we are confined only to holding meetings.” 

He further said ensuring traffic discipline is not a matter of taking scattered initiatives and requires comprehensive planning.

“Dhaka Nagar Paribahan may succeed for the time being but cannot be sustainable as we do not have responsible and professional institutions to run it and monitor its operations,” he added.

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