10 BRTC buses for women

Communications Minister Barrister Nazmul Huda inaugurated the bus service for women at BRTC's Motijheel bus depot yesterday.

The buses -- nine double-deckers and one single-decker -- will ply from 6:00 to 10:00am and 3:00 to 6:00pm carrying women only. The rest of the time they will transport both male and female passengers giving priority to the latter. The fare along the nine routes will range between Tk 4 and Tk 10.

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The nine routes are: Mirpur-1 to Motijheel via Mirpur-10-Asad Gate-Azimpur-Palashi-Gulistan; Mirpur-1 to Motijheel via Mirpur-10-Farmgate-Gulis-tan;Mohammadpur to Gulistan via Satmasjid Road-Curzon Hall; Mirpur-12 to Uttara via Mirpur-14-Cantonment-Banani; Mirpur-12 to Kamalapur via Taltala-Agargaon-Khejurbagan-Sangsad Bhaban-Science Laboratory-Azimpur-Gulistan;Khilgaon to Gulistan via Taltala; Gulistan to Narayanganj; Tongi to Motijheel via Banani-Mohakhali-Magbazar and Mohammadpur to Gulshan-1 and 2 via Mohammadpur-Townhall-Mohakhali.

Earlier, the BRTC introduced five buses for women but only one of them are in service now.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the minister told the private bus service operators not to be afraid of business loss for the BRTC services as they (BRTC buses) are not more than one percent compared to the private buses in the country.

For the first time a woman lessee will run the new buses added to the present 737 buses operated by the BRTC along 150 routes, the minister added.

Regarding the timing of the buses from 3pm to 6pm which will not be convenient for most of the working women, BRTC Chairman advocate Taimur Alam Khondaker said it could be reconsidered after some time.

Among others, Mashuda Khatun Shefali, executive director of Nari Uddug Kendra, told the minister to introduce BRTC buses on every route. Pointing out that there are 80,000 private buses in the country, she urged the minister to impose ban on carrying standing passengers and regulate fare of private bus services.