More than 8,000 modern buses and minibuses are needed to float the proposed new bus services on the capital's six routes.
Even though buses overlap on 336 routes, they are only available for 12.5 per cent of the entire road network.
This was disclosed during a knowledge-sharing workshop on international experiences with city bus reforms at a city hotel on Tuesday.
Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) hosted the event.
Dhaka's south city mayor Sayeed Khokon attended the inaugural session and north mayor Atiqul Islam the closing session.
World Bank director (sustainable development) John Roome and DTCA executive director Khandakar Rakibur Rahman spoke on the occasion.
PMO principal coordinator on sustainable development goals Abul Kalam Azad and transport expert Dr Salauddin, among others, were present.
Abhijit Sarkar of Delhi, Dr Gyeng Chul Kim of Seoul and Andres Gomez-Lobo of Bogota shared their experiences in reforming bus services through companies.
DTCA traffic engineer Anisur Rahman presented a proposed 'bus net' plan and highlighted the challenges in executing it.
The invited foreign officials suggested launching a company-based bus service in phases through ensuring integration of existing public transport.
They said a paradigm shift is needed to launch bus net by shifting car passengers to buses.
The experts also focused on fund-raising, citing that charges like fuel tax, infrastructure bond and eco-charge would help a bus company sustainable.
At the event, the DTCA executive director said Dhaka city needs designated bus services despite a mass transit system to carry passengers.
Mr Roome recalled the business hours Dhaka city losses per day-3.8 million hours-in traffic jam.
According to the workshop, MRT line 6, MRT line 1 and BRT line 3, work of which is due for completion by 2025, would carry only 6.0 per cent of total trips.
But bus trips will reach 63 per cent from an estimated 50 trips now.
The number of registered motorised vehicles stands at 1,255,402 in April 2018, up from 303,215 in 2003 (a fourfold increase in 15 years), the event shared.
More than 36 per cent of all registered vehicles are in Dhaka.
The highest overlapping bus routes are in Uttara-Kuril section where 49 companies use their buses.
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