Govt to buy 200 EV buses to make public transport eco-friendly: Minister

The government has taken an initiative to purchase 200 electric buses (EV buses) to make Dhaka's public transport system more eco-friendly and passenger-friendly. Of these, 100 buses are planned to be operated on various routes exclusively for women. Steps are also being taken to further expand special bus services to ensure safe and comfortable travel for female passengers.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam made the remarks at the inauguration ceremony of the 'Women Bus Service (Pink Bus)' programme organised by BRTC at Tejgaon on Tuesday, August 18.

The Road Transport Minister said that as per the government's plan, these buses will be procured through a direct purchase process. The project may take at least one and a half years to complete the approvals, tenders and international procurement procedures for purchasing the buses. The decision to opt for direct procurement was taken to ensure the swift launch of eco-friendly public transport.

He said 100 of the 200 EV buses will be reserved for women on various routes. This will expand the scope of bus services for female passengers. While initiatives have been taken to launch women-friendly bus services in several districts, plans are in place to expand the service to other divisions in the future.

Sheikh Rabiul Alam said steps have been taken to operate 14 buses for women on 13 routes. Of these, 10 buses will run on 10 routes in Dhaka — one single-decker and the remaining nine double-decker. Plans are also in place to operate two double-decker buses on one route in Chattogram and two double-decker buses on two routes in Bogura.

The Road Minister said female passengers must be provided with a safe and passenger-friendly environment not only after boarding the bus but also while waiting and alighting. If harassment, discomfort or unsafe conditions arise during boarding and alighting, women's interest in using public transport declines. Therefore, ensuring safe travel for women is the state's responsibility.

The minister further said women constitute nearly half of the country's population. Women have a significant contribution to nation-building and the economy. Safe travel must be ensured so that women can utilise their capabilities for the needs of the state.

Regarding BRTC's current management, he said the corporation is currently operating more than 500 buses, with the total fleet nearing 1,200 or more. BRTC is not currently incurring losses but is operating at a break-even point. However, improvements are needed in the corporation's management, operations and service quality.

The Road Transport Minister said care must also be taken to ensure that the bus service launched for women does not shut down after a few months, as has happened with various past initiatives.

He said the service being launched today must have its quality enhanced over the next two months. Daily improvements in management must be made to make the service safer and more passenger-friendly. This initiative cannot be limited to just inauguration ceremonies. The bigger challenge is to sustain, expand and enrich the service for the future. The ministry and concerned officials are prepared to meet that challenge.

Others who spoke at the event included State Minister for Road Transport and Highways Division Habibur Rashid, Road Secretary Mohammad Ziaul Haq, and BRTC Chairman Abdul Latif Molla.