Dhaka needs passenger-- friendly bus service

Accidents on the road due to fitness issues of vehicles are very common in our country. Despite the fact, year after year, we see little to no improvement in the quality of our bus fleets. Apart from having the bare frame of a vehicle, most of the buses and minibuses in Dhaka city lack a decent look, with their bodies carrying innumerable dents and their paints gone long since. Instead of repairing the whole buses, owners seem to be content to keep on repainting, welding and mending to evade the eyes of the police. It would be of no surprise to see more accidents if these vehicles are allowed to ply on the road.

Usually, buses and minibuses are the preferred modes of travel for the majority of residents in the capital. But the current bus fleets are not friendly ones to all passengers. In the absence of better alternatives, we often have to endure long delays, overcrowding and sometimes lengthy walks to be able to get on board a bus. All these translate into sufferings and loss of health and money on a daily basis. The existing bus service in Dhaka city is far below the minimum standard. The authorities concerned should ensure quality, comfortable and passenger-friendly bus service to reduce people’s dependence on other vehicles. How can we forget that a prerequisite for a good economy is the mobility of the people with access to an efficient public transport system? Everyone should come forward to help build a properly planned and managed transport network in the capital as soon as possible.

Afroza Sheikh,

Dania, Dhaka,

ilcbd2008@gmail.com