Govt to buy 200 electric buses for BRTC without tender

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given in-principle approval for the procurement of 200 electric buses for the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) without inviting tenders. The committee has also approved the direct procurement of necessary charging stations and ancillary infrastructure for operating the buses.

The approval was given at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs held at the Secretariat on Thursday, August 6, chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.

According to meeting sources, the 200 electric buses will be purchased with government funding based on a proposal from the Transport and Highways Division. The fleet will include dedicated buses for women passengers.

Necessary charging stations will be set up to operate the buses. Additionally, related works for the charging system and other ancillary infrastructure will be completed through direct procurement.

The move is seen as an initiative to modernise BRTC's transport services by introducing electric buses to the public transport system and developing charging infrastructure. The government has been moving forward with plans to electrify public transport; the Roads and Highways Secretary had earlier indicated that around 1,400 electric buses are planned across multiple projects .