Can Dhaka ever untangle chaotic public transport system?

Bus owners question reforms, while commuters call for modernisation

The relentless race among buses on the same route, aggressive shouting to attract passengers, and reckless driving to scoop up commuters from the next stop remain everyday challenges for Dhaka’s public transport users.

While able-bodied and younger passengers manage to board amid the chaos, women, children, and the elderly often struggle significantly.

Despite half a century of attempts, the public transport system in Dhaka has seen little improvement.

The city’s growing population, increasing number of vehicles, and encroached footpaths have turned commuting into a time-consuming ordeal.

Bus owners point out that Dhaka’s public transport is now controlled by drivers and conductors working on a daily deposit basis.

This system prioritises revenue, driving fierce competition that results in reckless driving, traffic congestion, and frequent accidents.

Commuters argue that many countries have eliminated such chaos by implementing apps that manage bus operations, showing routes, schedules, and fares.

They stress the need for Dhaka, a city of over 20 million, to integrate such technology into its public transport system.

In response, the interim government is pushing to revitalise the “Dhaka Nagar Paribahan” initiative, launched three years ago to instil discipline in public transport.

The plan aims to bring all public buses under a unified system, incorporating rapid pass and online payment methods to reduce competition among drivers and helpers.

However, doubts linger over the initiative’s potential success.

Despite its fanfare, the Dhaka Nagar Paribahan project has failed to tackle fundamental issues like random passenger pick-ups, fare inconsistencies, and operational disorder.

Even buses under Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation, or BRTC, part of the Nagar Paribahan scheme, now operate on a daily deposit basis—a model widely criticised for exacerbating Dhaka’s transport woes.

DHAKA’S CHAOTIC BUS SYSTEM: ‘A GLOBAL OUTLIER’

Salehur Rahman, a long-time resident of Dhaka’s Nawabganj who has spent years in Europe, believes the capital’s bus system is uniquely chaotic.

He told bdnews24.com: “There is no place in the world with a transport system as disorganised as Dhaka’s buses. Even Africa’s so-called ‘bush taxis’—old sedans and minibuses—are far more orderly.”

Drawing from his European experience, Rahman said: “In most parts of Europe, bus or tram stops display the exact time a vehicle will arrive. Achieving this requires nothing more than affordable devices or apps. Passengers wait calmly, knowing the bus will leave within seconds because operators trust they will board without any commotion.”

Mofizur Rahman, a former mechanic who worked in a Dhaka motor garage in the 1950s and later served in the 1971 Liberation War as a mechanic in Sector 6, reminisced about a bygone era.

Now in his eighties, he said: “In those days, Momin Company operated buses on the Demra to Tikatuli route. These were modified Chevrolet trucks from World War II with wooden bodies, known as ‘Forty-Two’ models. They departed from near Gulistan Cinema Hall after helpers shouted to gather passengers.”

Seven decades later, the scene remains unchanged.

Ujjal Sheikh, a driver for Baishakhi Paribahan, highlighted the ongoing struggles.

“If we don’t stop and call out, how will passengers board? That’s how it works. If another bus on the same route is behind us, the helper signals to hurry up. When too many buses pile up, conductors shout to ‘mind the gap,’ forcing us to fight for passengers.”

Ujjal explained further, “Once I’ve picked up passengers, if the bus ahead leaves, my passengers might shift to that one. That can’t be allowed. Then, the driver behind me comes and nudges my bumper."

This constant competition, according to Ujjal, leads to buses deteriorating quickly, becoming battered and unsightly.

He added, “Then there’s Dhaka’s dust. Cleaning buses is rarely considered part of the job by the staff.”

GAP CHASING, SYNDICATES, AND FINANCIAL PRESSURES

Dhaka’s bus operations are plagued by syndicates, outdated practices, and chaotic competition, creating daily challenges for commuters and transport operators.

Drivers face intense competition to maintain "gaps" between buses to attract passengers.

Mantajur Rahman, a bus driver, said: “After starting the journey, it becomes a race. Whoever picks up passengers first gets the most, and everyone wants that edge.”

Md Munna, once a helper and now the manager at the Nimta counter for Sadhin Paribahan, highlighted the issues caused by the daily contract system: "Drivers and helpers on contract block roads to create gaps, which delays traffic and causes disruption for everyone, including us."

CORRUPTION PERSISTS IN TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Bus owners also face significant challenges.

Mohammad Masum, managing director of Tetulia Paribahan, expressed disappointment that political changes have not improved the situation.

“It’s the same system under different people. The old syndicates are replaced by new ones, but nothing changes fundamentally,” he told bdnews24.com.

“Enayetullahs (Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association General Secretary Khandakar Enayet Ullah) are gone, but others have stepped in. The system remains the same,” he said.

Masum highlighted the lack of effective revenue models in Dhaka’s transport system, which forces owners to lease buses to drivers based on daily collections. “We tried the waybill check system for bus trips in the city, which monitored passenger numbers but caused fare disputes. Later, Enayet Ullah’s group introduced POS machines, which became another form of extortion.”

Financial pressures have pushed drivers to take more risks.

Many owners now require drivers to cover fuel, maintenance, and bribe costs, further encouraging reckless behaviour on the roads.

Masum also praised late mayor Annisul Huq’s efforts to reform public transport, including a plan for colour-coded buses under the Nagar Paribahan initiative.

“It could have been a practical solution, but various issues prevented its success. The government is now planning to revive it next February or March,” he said.

An informal toll system known as "GP" or gate pass further burdens the system. Workshop owner Mohammad Babul explained, “Previously, GP fees ranged from Tk 800 to Tk 1,000 per day. Now, they’ve dropped to Tk 400 to Tk 500, but the problem persists. Companies using the waybill system deduct GP fees from the daily earnings before paying the owners.”

WILL THE SITUATION CHANGE?

Tanveer Mohammad, an official from a private mobile operator, described the traffic struggles on Dhaka’s roads to bdnews24.com, saying: “You’ll often see no buses on a given route, or sometimes, four buses will arrive at once, blocking each other and causing a traffic jam.

"One day, it took me half an hour just to get onto the expressway because three buses refused to give way to one another. There's room for improvement in these areas in Bangladesh."

The Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority, or DTCA, is working on implementing the Bus Route Rationalisation initiative.

DTCA's Deputy Transport Planner Dhrubo Alam, said: “To increase road capacity, we need to reduce rickshaws, motorcycles, and private cars, and boost public transport, particularly buses. Expanding road infrastructure in a city like Dhaka is highly limited, so we must optimise the use of existing roads.”

Alam said the bus route rationalisation process is progressing rapidly.

After their 28th meeting, DTCA invited applications for bus services on 42 routes.

As of Nov 13, over 80 companies had applied, with more than 2,000 buses involved.

A committee will be formed to review the applications, including representatives from the relevant departments, transport unions, and public transport experts.

According to the DTCA's plan, once bus route rationalisation is complete, inter-district buses will no longer enter Dhaka.

Instead, transfer stations will be established.

Moreover, DTCA has identified 10 locations for constructing inter-district bus terminals and depots.

These include Kanchpur in Narayanganj, Bagair (south of the Dhaka-Mawa Highway in the Zhilmil area), Hemayetpur in Savar, and a terminal-depot in Bhatuia village under Ward No. 54 of Dhaka North City Corporation.

Two city corporations have already begun work on these terminals.

Once completed, the inter-district bus terminals will allow Sayedabad, Mohakhali, and Gabtali to become city bus terminals, with plans for another terminal in Ghatarchor.

Land acquisition for the new terminal is already underway.

[Writing in English by Arshi Fatiha Quazi]