DSCC moves to clear 240 unauthorised bus counters outside Sayedabad terminal

Drive starts three hours late after talks with bus owners

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has identified 240 illegal and unauthorised bus counters operating outside the inter-district bus terminal in Sayedabad and launched an eviction drive against them.

The counters are located on the stretch from the TT Para intersection to Dholaipar, according to DSCC spokesperson Md Russell Rahman.

The operation, led by Executive Magistrate Aminul Islam, saw several counters demolished and others sealed on Wednesday.

While the exact number of removals was not immediately available, the drive marks a significant push to clear the capital’s entry points.

The action follows a public notice issued by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Sunday night, which ordered all inter-district night coach counters located outside the city’s three designated terminals -- Gabtoli, Mohakhali, and Sayedabad -- to relocate within seven days.

The DMP warned that failure to comply would result in mobile court action under the Road Transport Act.

The DSCC drive experienced a three-hour delay on Wednesday morning.

Originally scheduled for 9am at Janapath Mor and Gopibagh, the start was pushed back as bus owner representatives held meetings with city officials and the magistrate.

Around 12pm, authorities used loudspeakers to issue a final 30-minute warning.

Following the announcement, many counter managers shuttered their booths and fled the area.

DSCC workers then moved in to demolish structures at the TT Para intersection, proceeding towards Dholaipar, Gopibag, and Janapath.

The crackdown targets unauthorised ticket booths, illegal extensions, and bus companies operating multiple counters for the same route without permission.

The DSCC noted that the decision for the eviction was finalised during a coordination meeting on Mar 10 involving the DMP, the Road Transport Bus Owners' Association, the Sayedabad terminal committee, and transport labour unions.

Alongside the counter removals, the DSCC is conducting simultaneous drives to reclaim footpaths and remove illegal structures on several key city roads.

Officials said these operations will continue as part of a broader effort to reduce traffic congestion and restore discipline to the city’s transport network.