ED: Bringing bus companies in line

Plans and subsequent measures taken to fix Dhaka’s bus system must be prioritized and streamlined

The nuisance of Dhaka’s traffic no longer comes as a surprise to any of its residents. A large portion of the problem can be blamed on buses rarely maintaining traffic rules, creating dangerous situations for passengers and pedestrians, and the lack of a codified bus system.

It is disappointing to see, then, that although such a project to fix this system has been in the works for the past six years, nothing much has become of it as of yet. The bus route rationalization initiative, which means to launch a bus franchise system in Dhaka, is expected to solve many of the city’s traffic problems. But due to delays caused by the pandemic, and numerous bus owners refusing to cooperate with the proposed system, the plan has progressed very little. Even much of the groundwork remains incomplete as of now.