(Not) running in circles

The government is yet to resume circular bus services on two routes in Dhaka, citing that they are not financially viable.

State-owned Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) launched the two circular bus services – Dhanmondi-Azimpur and Uttara-Airport Sector 12 – last year, with a view to lessen gridlocks in parts of Dhaka and ensure better customer service and road discipline.

The Uttara short circular route was suspended a few days after its launch, while the Dhanmondi-Azimpur route remained suspended since the government enforced nationwide lockdown on March 26 to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Although the lockdown on transport was lifted on May 30, BRTC did not resume the two circular routes due to dearth of passengers.

Another circular route – Uttara-Gulshan – that the BRTC also launched last year, is still serving with a small number of buses.

Since the beginning of lockdown, the bus service at Dhanmondi has remained suspended and it is still out of service, Amjad Hossain, general manager (accounts) of BRTC, told The Daily Star.

"We used to get Tk 1000 net profit from each bus in Dhanmondi route which was a very small amount. We continued the service until the beginning of the lockdown," he said, adding that the Dhanmondi circular service was launched with 20 buses on March 30 last year.

The official spokesperson of BRTC blamed Covid-19 as the primary reason behind this stalling of the service, saying that the pandemic has greatly reduced the number of passengers.

He said the circular bus service through Uttara-Sonargaon Janapath and Airport sector-12 was suspended after a week of its launch, as big buses could not ply comfortably on the route. The route began operations on May 27 last year with 10 buses.

He said they would consider resuming operation on that route once educational institutions reopen.

Among the three routes only a handful of buses are running at areas in and around Uttara Housing Building, Airport, Staff Road, Banani and Gulshan route, said Hossain.

He said there are few buses running on the route due to low turnout of passengers.

The net profit target from each bus in this route was Tk 3,900, but currently the amount varies between Tk 1800-2000 on average.

Experts, however, said there are other reasons besides the pandemic behind the apparent failure of short-distance circular bus service in Dhanmondi and the long-distance one in Uttara.

They said the routes were introduced without proper study and no adequate measures were put in place to remove alternative transportation such as rickshaw and to divert buses of other routes.

Citing the privately-run Gulshan and Hatirjheel circular bus services, they said the route is successful because no rickshaw or buses of different routes ply through that road.

Assistant Professor at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology's Accident Research Institute, Kazi Md Shifun Newaz said he does not know about the success or failure of the circular bus services launched in the city last year.

"But to run an effective circular bus service, a study is very important on the route which will be selected before its operation. In the study, the authority will have to calculate the demand of circular buses in the selected route, they will have to take all logistical preparation for it, such as marking designated passenger stoppages," he added.

BRTC launched Dhanmondi and Uttara services following the DMP recommendations that bus service in those areas would reduce congestion caused by private vehicles and rickshaws.