City bus service

Most of the buses which ply on our city are in an appalling condition, especially the ones which are over 25 years old. If the authorities are kind enough to look into Farmgate to Uttara via Mohakhali, Biswa Road i.e., Kuril to Mouchak and Motijheel, they can easily spot that these buses which ply in our city create unnecessary traffic jams which lead to man hour loss.

The drivers are usually inexperienced and start their driving careers by becoming bus or truck drivers. It is certainly the government's responsibility to make sure that the authorities do look into the welfare of the passengers, since there isn't any system for mass transport in the city.

It should be mentioned that CNG buses are welcome to the city, they look good and are environment friendly. These buses are owned by companies who spend heavily and have to maintain these vehicles in order to get back their investment, their drivers also tend to be patient since frequent lane changing, reckless driving is not possible as the exterior panels/ bodies of these buses are expensive unlike the regular ones which are armored with angles and M/S plates used for making boats and ships, these are usually made in such a manner that the body panel sits outside the chassis which makes these buses hard to control. A few years back the government took steps against these buses but after a few weeks of hiding they were back into the streets with a fresh coat of paint.

It is time that the government welcomed private firms to invest in double-deckers or 52-seat buses which can take more passengers in one bus, rather than having a few scattered 15-20-seat buses fighting for passengers. It is about time that banks investing on cars should invest in this sector. The government should also subsidize or arrange soft term

loans for companies which wish to introduce their own fleet of buses for our city, rather than providing loans for individuals who do not have the infrastructure, capability and know-how to manage public transport.