Public transport reform

The long-stalled Dhaka-Gazipur Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project could emerge as a cost-effective alternative to metro rail and significantly reshape Bangladesh’s urban transport system once launched, Urban planners has said.

At a press conference organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Planners in Dhaka on Monday, planners said the 20-kilometre BRT corridor from Airport to Gazipur’s Shibbari would reduce travel time by nearly 30 percent while offering commuters a faster and more organised transport service.

They warned that abandoning the project at its final stage could cause financial losses of up to Tk 1,200 crore due to compensation costs, dismantling of infrastructure and removal of stations, ramps and escalators.

The planners instead proposed using the remaining project funds to introduce modern buses under the BRT system, saying an additional Tk 200-300 crore would be needed for improved buses, while electric buses would require nearly Tk 1,000 crore more.

Presenting the keynote paper, BUET professor and BIP General Secretary Dr Md Mosleh Uddin Hasan said around 97 percent of the project work had already been completed despite repeated delays since construction began in 2012.

He said converting the dedicated BRT corridor into a regular roadway would deprive commuters of a modern public transport facility already common in cities worldwide.

The planners also argued that traffic congestion and pedestrian safety concerns linked to BRT operations could be managed through efficient traffic control and proper use of newly built footbridges and crossings.

They further recommended introducing BRT services in several other cities, including Chattogram, Rajshahi, Cumilla and Mymensingh, citing lower construction costs and faster implementation compared to metro rail systems.