New rule in Dhaka from November: only one company’s buses on each route

A major change is coming to bring order to public transport in the capital. Under a new rule from November, only one company’s buses will operate on each route in Dhaka, ending the current practice of multiple companies running buses on the same route.

Passengers have long complained about Dhaka’s bus services. With many companies competing on the same route, racing for passengers, reckless driving and stopping anywhere to pick up or drop off passengers have become major causes of accidents and congestion.

Under the new rule, each route will be assigned to a single company. This is expected to make route-based accountability easier — any irregularity will be the responsibility of that specific company.

Having one company per route creates an opportunity to run buses on schedule, stop only at designated stops and bring discipline to fare collection. Passengers have long demanded an orderly, route-based bus service.

Implementation, however, will be the main challenge. Which company gets which of Dhaka’s hundreds of routes, what happens to buses currently operating, and how passenger suffering during the transition will be avoided — these questions will be answered as implementation begins.

The livelihoods of a large number of bus owners and workers are tied to this sector, so their interests and employment are also expected to matter during the changeover.

If the rule takes effect from November as announced, the daily travel experience of the capital’s passengers could visibly change. Regular commuters are watching for that change.

It remains to be seen how effectively the rule is rolled out on schedule, and whether one-company-per-route buses genuinely improve passenger service.