Authorities keep approving 'unscientific' bus routes despite failures

Unofficial financial deals behind route permit approvals

MUNIMA SULTANA | Published: May 17, 2026 22:27:36

The special committee responsible for approving bus route permits in Dhaka has continued allowing what transport experts describe as "unscientific" routes for both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses over the past one and a half years, despite almost no improvement in passenger services.
Industry insiders say the initiative has failed mainly because hundreds of thousands of unauthorised vehicles still operate on the capital's already overcrowded streets.
During the period, authorities also failed to remove buses that exceeded their 20-year economic lifespan, as well as trucks and covered vans older than 25 years.
At the same time, operators showed little interest in launching services on newly approved routes, including AC bus services, sources said.
Not a single company that received approval to operate AC buses at a meeting on November 6, 2025 could start services within the six-month validity period, they added.
According to sources, the operators did not even apply for bank loans to purchase buses, despite assurances from transport association leaders that they would help facilitate financing.
The committee, named the Dhaka Metro Passengers and Goods Transportation Committee (DMPGT) and headed by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, approved 690 AC buses on 10 routes at the November meeting.
However, meeting minutes show that the committee increased the number of approved buses by more than 400 beyond the original applications without providing any explanation. On April 23, 2025, the committee approved 21 route permits for nearly 3,000 buses to operate in the city. Similar approvals were also granted on January 1, 2025.
Before that, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police introduced pink-coloured buses from Gazipur under a counter-based ticketing system, though the initiative produced little visible impact.
The DMPGT was formed during the interim government under a new name, replacing the Regional Transport Committee (RTC), whose activities had been suspended in 2022 during the Awami League government as part of efforts to introduce a franchise-based public transport system.
The new committee was formed under Section 27 of the Road Transport Act 2018. However, most of its members are leaders of transport-related associations.
It reviews applications submitted by bus operators seeking route permits.
Although a subcommittee was assigned to inspect proposed routes, assess bus conditions and verify depot facilities in line with regulations, inspections reportedly found that many companies lacked roadworthy buses and proper depot facilities for parking vehicles.
smunima@yahoo.com