WiFi-enabled BRTC buses introduced

The government has introduced “WiFi-facilitated” bus service in the city to provide internet connectivity to the commuters free of cost.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 10 April 2014, 02:36 PM
Updated : 10 April 2014, 02:50 PM

Communication Minister Obaidul Quader inaugurated the digital bus service in the city’s Farmgate area on Thursday.

Inaugurating the service, he said, “We are committed to build a ‘Digital Bangladesh’ and this project is a part of the government’s pledge.”

Initially the buses of the state-run Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) equipped with the modern facility will ply on the Motijheel-Uttara route.

The buses would not only be equipped with WiFi internet services but will also be fitted with vehicles tracking technology. The vehicles tracking devices will help identify the place and distance of the buses.

State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak said at the function that passengers could use the free internet service by scanning the QR Code in the bus. To avail the service, QR code scanner of passengers’ devices needs to be enabled.

He said that the service was introduced on experimental basis and once it became successful, it would be introduced in the BRTC buses plying on the other routes in the city.

BTRC Chairman Jasim Uddin Ahmed said that Access to Information (a2i) programme of Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was providing technical support to the project.

Obaidul Quader said that newly procured 400 more buses would be added to the BRTC fleet by this month to boost its city services. Of the buses, 100 are articulated while 300 are double-deckers.

“The Prime Minister will formally make an announcement any day in the last week of the month regarding inclusion of the new buses in the BRTC fleet.”

He said that as many as 600 taxicabs would be procured by June to operate in the capital to improve the quality of passenger services while 400 trucks would be procured for transportation of goods.

He also assured to consider revising of BRTC bus fares in public interest.

Quader said that the quality of passenger service of the BRTC had been enhanced as also the revenue.

“Our target is to turn the BRTC into a profitable organisation by further enhancing quality of its passenger service. And the government is working towards achieving the target.”