Streamlining city's public transport service

Traffic jam has become our daily companion. It has turned our daily trips into nightmares. According to a World Bank report, in the last 10 years, the average traffic speed in Dhaka has dropped from 21 kilometres per hour (kmph) to 7 kmph, and by 2035, the speed might drop to 4 kmph, which is slower than the walking speed. And one of the main reasons behind this is that the city lacks a coordinated public transportation system.

To contain the daily chaos in our public transport, there really is no alternative to Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) buses. They should gradually take over all the bus routes in Dhaka. The authorities concerned should also consider giving bus drivers and their assistants better benefits for the sake of better service to the public. If the government is able to streamline the sector so that buses might provide citizens with satisfactory service, traffic congestion would reduce considerably.

Afroza Sheikh,

Dania, Dhaka,

ilcbd2008@gmail.com