City Desk :
Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam has instructed schools in Dhaka to provide school bus services for students.
The mayor warned that failure to provide a bus transportation service for students may result in the closing of schools, reports bdnews24.com.
He made the remarks on Wednesday while inaugurating a school bus service for the students of Dhaka’s Banani Bidyaniketan School and College.
The DNCC has taken the initiative to start school bus services for various schools inside the capital to ease traffic congestion. The DNCC has also met with the administrations of several schools to discuss the matter.
“We were not initially able to launch the service.
We had to hold frequent meetings. I have spoken to the education minister and the DMP. We have also had meetings with all the schools. They said they want to wait and see until the service is up and running. We have already launched the service,” said Atiq.
“To those who have built schools in Dhaka’s residential areas – the time has come for you to start providing school bus services.
Otherwise, we will be forced to close your school. The education minister has also said this. We will have to take a strict approach if you don’t cooperate,” he adde’Schools without bus services will be shut’d.
Some schools are charging Tk 15,000 – Tk 20,000 in monthly fees for each child, but are not providing bus services, the mayor bemoaned.
“You have opened schools in residential areas, and the locals are suffering due to the traffic. Bus services should be launched in all schools within the Dhaka North City Corporation area.”
Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury, who was a chief guest at the programme, also thanked the DNCC for taking the initiative to provide school bus services for children.
“The city corporation has done groundbreaking work. They have introduced a bus service and are providing a subsidy of a certain amount of money each month.
I urge school authorities to speak with other educational institutions and adopt this service,” said Mohibul.
According to the education minister, most students who attend expensive schools in Dhaka commute in private cars.
“This has resulted in traffic congestions, and schools should be forced to launch bus transportation services for the children,” the education minister said.
“If the people attending these schools do not use public transportation or arrange bus services for themselves, the problem will not be solved. The DMP commissioner is also present here. He knows which schools are using the most vehicles.” The DNCC has said that initially, double-decker buses will run on three different routes and drop students along those routes.
Route 1: Kuril Bishwa Road to Banani Bidyaniketan School and College via Bashundhara Gate, Nadda, Notunbazar, and Gulshan. Route 2: Banani Bidyaniketan School and College via Bashundhara Gate, Cholmaid, Family Bazar, Notunbazar, Banshtala, Shahjadpur, and Gulshan.
Route 3: Banani Bidyaniketan School and College via Subastu Tower in North Badda, Hossain Market, Badda Link Road, Gulshan 1, Mohakhali TB Gate, Wireless Gate, and Amtoli.