How far BNP kept its poll promise?

The launch of BRTC’s women-only Pink Bus service marks a visible step towards fulfilling one of the BNP’s election promises, but the initiative is still at an early stage, with only 14 buses beginning operations and a much larger expansion yet to take place.

Ahead of the election, the BNP pledged to introduce dedicated bus services for women in cities and on important transport routes, with the stated aim of improving women’s safety and mobility in public transport.

After taking office, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman reiterated the pledge on March 2 and said a dedicated bus service for women in Dhaka would be introduced within 180 days of the government assuming power.

The government took office on February 17, when Tarique Rahman was sworn in as prime minister.

The Pink Bus service was formally launched on August 18, roughly six months later and just beyond the announced 180-day timeframe.

The first phase consists of 14 buses.

Ten are being deployed in Dhaka and adjoining areas, while two each are operating in Bogura and Chattogram.

The buses are being operated by women drivers and conductors, with regular passenger services scheduled to begin from August 19.

The launch therefore represents partial delivery of the BNP’s promise rather than its full implementation.

The dedicated service now exists, but its present scale remains limited compared with the broader election pledge to provide women-only transport across cities and key routes.

The government, however, has announced plans for a much larger expansion.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam said 200 electric buses are planned for procurement, with 100 to be allocated to women-only services on different routes.

The government also intends to expand the service beyond Dhaka, Chattogram and Bogura to other divisions.

The Pink Bus programme is also intended to address wider concerns over women’s experiences on public transport.

At the inauguration, the minister said safety should not be limited to the time passengers spend inside buses, but should extend to waiting, boarding and getting off.

For the BNP government, the launch provides a tangible example of moving an election pledge from manifesto to implementation.

But whether the promise can be considered fully delivered will depend on what happens next—particularly whether the planned 100 electric buses are actually procured, whether more routes are introduced and whether the service remains reliable over the long term.

For now, the Pink Bus promise has started to take shape on the road, but the larger commitment remains a work in progress.