Dhaka’s ambitious Metro Rail service, connecting Uttara to Motijheel, has significantly impacted the traditional public transport ecosystem, especially affecting bus services on the Mirpur-Agargaon-Farmgate-Paltan route. The introduction of this modern transit option has led to a sharp decline in bus ridership, with operators reporting a 30-40% reduction in the number of buses on this route. Transport proprietors are bracing for a further decline in bus numbers as the warmer months approach, predicting that the allure of the metro’s air-conditioned comfort will draw even more commuters away from buses. The diminished appeal of buses, once a staple for Dhaka’s commuters, is particularly noticeable during peak metro operational hours, despite an observable decrease in traffic congestion. Read more: Quader provides update on Metro Rail extension till Tongi The potential extension of metro rail service hours beyond the current 7:10 am to 8:40 pm timeframe threatens to exacerbate the financial strain on bus operations, prompting owners to consider rerouting their fleets or selling them off. “From a daily tally of 500-600 buses, we’ve plummeted to just 300-400 buses on the Mirpur-Agargaon-Farmgate-Paltan route,” stated Md Shahjahan, Managing Director of Shikhor Paribahan, highlighting the scale of the downturn.

The buses of Nagar Paribahan will be launched on two new routes from October 13, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said Tuesday. The decision was taken at the 24th committee meeting of the Bus Route Rationalization Committee, held at the Buriganga Hall of Nagar Bhaban with Fazle Noor Taposh chairing. The DSCC mayor revealed the development while talking to reporters after the meeting. The two new routes will be numbered 22 and 26. Read:Nagar Paribahan service resumes in Khulna city after 2 years Route 22 will run from Ghatarchar - Washpur - Basila - Mohammadpur Town Hall - Karwan Bazar - Shahbagh - Kakrail Fakirapool - Motijheel - Tikatuli - Syedabad - Jatrabari - Konapara - Demra Staff Quarters. Route 26 will take in Ghatarchar-Washpur-Basila-Mohammadpur-Japan Garden City-Shyamoli- College Gate-Asad Gate-Kalabagan-Science Lab-New Market - Azimpur - Palashi - Chankhar Pool - through Flyover - Postogola Kadamatoli. The launch of Route 23, announced earlier, has been pushed back however, to  November 30 , said the mayor.

A section of bus owners resumed bus services in the port city on Sunday although the nationwide transport strike continued for the 3rd straight day. A faction of bus owners association took the decision on Saturday. However, passengers claimed the bus operators have doubled the fares. Belayet Hossain, president of Chattogram Metropolitan Bus Owners Association, said, “Buses under the association are operating in the city to mitigate public sufferings.” Admitting that the transport workers are charging double fare, Belayet said, “We resumed bus services to bring the situation under control and the situation will become normal within two or three days. We will take fare fixed by the government.” Meanwhile, no long route buses left the terminals and many passengers were seen trying to reach their destinations by hiring CNG run auto-rickshaw paying double fare. “We have decided to operate the bus services that are under association from Sunday," said Belayat Hossain, President of Chattogram Metropolitan Bus Owners’ Association in a note to journalists Saturday evening. Also read: Strike to continue as transporters’ meeting with minister ends ‘inconclusively’ The peaceful strike was for decreasing fuel price or else increasing the transportation fares but some unidentified people are picketing on roads disguised as transport workers, he said. The nationwide transport strike has seriously disrupted the movement of inbound and outbound goods-laden vehicles of Chattogram Port, bringing goods delivery almost to a halt. On Wednesday (Nov 3), the government raised the prices of diesel and kerosene to Tk 80 from Tk 65 at the retail level. The next day, convenor of Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van, Tank Lorry and Prime Movers Owners and Workers Coordination Council Md Rustom Ali announced their decision to go on indefinite strike, following an emergency meeting. Also read: Day 2 of bus strike: Commuters' pain is auto drivers' gain Transporters went on an indefinite strike from Friday morning in protest against the recent fuel price hike in Bangladesh.

Bus services in Barishal and other parts of the country remained suspended from Thursday morning as transport workers blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway in protest against  Wednesday's clash that left over 30 injured. The clash broke out between the supporters of the ruling Awami League, its students' wing Bangladesh Chhatra League and  members of Ansar when the former tried to attack the residence of the Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) at Sadar Upazila Complex in Barishal on Wednesday night. Read:BNP activists clash with police at Chandrima Udyan Of the injured, five people suffered bullet wounds during the clash. The transport workers, including the supporters of Barishal City Corporation Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, activists of Chhatra League and Jubo League, blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway by placing buses in Rupatoli and Nathullabad Bus Terminal areas in the small hours of Wednesday. Besides, launch services in Barishal also remained suspended as the supporters of the mayor did not allow any passenger vessel to leave the terminal, causing immense sufferings to the commuters. According to eye-witnesses, the Nagar Bhaban staffers went to the residence of Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Munibur Rahman to lower a banner hanging over the area. At one stage, the UNO came out and asked the reason, leading to an altercation between him and Swapan Kumar Das, a staffer of the city corporation. Read: Cumilla AL groups clash over mourning day event During the altercation, some 25-30 people entered the complex and a scuffle broke out between the Ansar members and the so-called mob over the issue, triggering a clash. At one stage, the Ansar members opened fire on them, leaving five injured. On information, police rushed to the spot and charged batons to disperse them.Some 25 people were injured in the clash with the cops. Shahabuddin Khan, police commissioner of Barishal, said, "A police team rushed to the spot and the attackers threw brick chips targeting the cops, forcing them to retaliate. Three policemen and two Ansar members were injured during the incident.” They also vandalised a bus in the area in the night. Three people who sustained bullet injuries—Shahrier Babu, Harun-or-Rashid and Tanvir-- were taken to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital. Of them, Tanvir was shifted to Dhaka for better treatment. Read: 2 killed, 15 injured in clash between AL and BNP supporters UNO Munibur Rahman said, “Some 15-20 people identifying themselves as Chattra League members entered the house. Later, some 60-70 people also entered the complex and went up to the first floor of the upazila complex building. They also tried to attack me but the Ansar members saved me." Barishal City Corporation Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah told the media, "The city corporation staffers went there to perform their duties but the Ansar members attacked them.” He has demanded a probe into the clash. 

Commuters had a harrowing time on Friday as inter-district and intra-district bus services from two depots in Barisal were suspended over workers' union issues. Two different bus owners' associations announced the suspension of bus services with effect from 10am on Friday, demanding the arrest of a union leader and his men. Read: Suspension of long-haul bus services makes people’s journeys arduous According to the bus workers, two unions have been recently formed in Barisal. Since the formation, there have been several fights between members of the two groups. On Thursday again, a clash broke out between the workers of a union led by Sultan Mahmud and Sahidul Islam Titu and the members of the group led by Parimal Chandra Das and Shahriar Babu in front of the ticket counter on the ground floor of the terminal building at 10.30am.  Several members of both the groups were injured in the clash. Immediately after that, bus services were suspended for four hours. Later, the police filed a case against nine people, including Sultan Mahmud, in connection with the clash. The services resumed soon after the police assured action against the accused. Read:Bus services resume in Bangladesh cities However, bus services were suspended again on all routes from Barisal Central Bus Terminal Nathullabad and Rupatali Terminal from this morning. Kawsar Hossain Shipon, general secretary of the Rupatali Mini Bus Malik Samiti, said, "Sultan Mahmud and his men attacked our people on Thursday. Despite an ultimatum, police have not been able to arrest the accused, prompting us to suspend bus services on 17 routes from Rupatali." Kishore Kumar Dey, joint general secretary of Barisal District Bus Owners Group, said bus services on 14 routes, including Dhaka, have been suspended. "The services will remain suspended until Sultan Mahmud and his men are arrested." Read: Commuters suffer as bus services remain halted for 2nd day in Rajshahi Meanwhile, agitated workers blocked the Dhaka-Barisal highway in front of the Nathullabad bus terminal. Nurul Islam, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Model Police Station, said, "We are trying to resolve the issue as soon as possible by talking to the bus owners and the union leaders."

No long-distance bus was allowed to leave or enter capital Dhaka on Tuesday as the government enforced tougher restrictions in an effort to beat the deadly Coronavirus. As many people were not aware about the suspension of the bus services on long routes, they thronged Gabtoli, Syedabad and Abdullahpur bus terminals on Tuesday morning to catch buses to reach their destinations. Some of them returned home after a long wait and some others were seen looking for alternative vehicles to move to their destinations. Also read: Bus services resume in Bangladesh cities The decision to suspend the bus services was taken on Monday night after announcing a strict lockdown in seven adjacent districts of Dhaka to stop the transmission of Coronavirus amid rising infections in different districts, as it is believed to have been caused by Delta variant. The districts are Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Madaripur, Rajbari and Gopalganj districts. Akhter Hossain, traffic inspector at Uttara's Rajlakkhi, said Gazipur is one of the seven districts where lockdown has been enforced. No long-route bus left the city for Mymensingh and neither one came from that district. Also read: Govt mulls resuming public transport services AC (traffic-Dasus Salam) Iftekharul Islam said as Manikganj district has gone under lockdown, no bus from the southern part of the country neither entered nor left Dhaka. Only the movement of vehicles providing emergency services is allowed. AC (traffic-Jatrabari) Tariqul Islam Masud said the movement of long-route buses on Dhaka-Mawa highway remained halted since Tuesday as Munsiganj district is under lockdown. The movement of long-route buses on Dhaka-Chattogram highway remained halted as Narayanganj went under lockdown. The lockdown in the seven districts will remain in force until June 30 midnight. However, emergency services like transportation of agricultural equipment and inputs (seeds, fertilizer, insecticides, agri-machinery), crops, food items, relief activities, health services, Covid-19 vaccination, water, power, gas, fire service, port activities, telephone, internet services, mass media (electronic and print), private security services, postal services and offices related to emergency services, their employees, vehicles will remain out of the purview of the restrictions, says an official circular issued in this regard.

Bus services resumed in cities across Bangladesh, including capital Dhaka, on Thursday, albeit with a limited number of passengers. However, inter-district bus services will remain suspended in the country during the lockdown period. The lockdown-related movement restrictions have been imposed by the government to break the chain of Covid-19 infections in Bangladesh. Also Read: Lockdown to continue until May 16, intra-district public transport services from May 6 A reality check by UNB in Dhaka revealed that several buses left their depots in the morning and were plying on several key stretches of the capital -- Mirpur Road, Begum Rokeya Sarani, Uttara, Banani and Mohakhali, to name a few. Like buses, other public transport vehicles like microbuses were also seen plying on the capital's roads and carrying passengers, but with 50 percent of their seating capacity. People were seen using public transport, strictly adhering to all Covid-safety protocols. Police said they were keeping a strict vigil on all public transport vehicles and taking action against passengers found without masks or flouting social distancing norms. Traffic inspector Asaduzzaman said, "Bus services have resumed in the city since morning and we are checking each and every bus to ensure that all passengers maintain all Covid-safety protocols." UNB's Cumilla correspondent reports: Buses left almost all the terminals in the district, including Shashangacha, Jangalia and Chakbazar, early in the morning. And no passengers were allowed to board the bus without masks. Public transport services were suspended in Bangladesh on April 5, with the government announcing a countrywide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. However, the government partially resumed the operations of city bus services on April 7 only to suspend the same with the imposition of the countrywide complete lockdown from April 14. The transport owners' associations have already urged the government to resume bus services in the country and demanded food assistance for all unemployed transport workers across Bangladesh. Also Read:Covid’s daily death toll in Bangladesh falls to 50 Bus fare increases The government has increased the bus  fares by 60 percent across the country, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on March 30. On May 31, 2020, the government raised the fares of inter-district (Dhaka, Chittagong and adjoining areas) buses and minibuses by 60 percent in order to compensate vehicle owners carrying 50 percent less passengers to prevent the transmission of coronavirus. Lockdown extended The government has issued a notification extending the ongoing lockdown till May 16 with six fresh directives alongside the existing ones to contain the spread of Covid-19. According to the notification issued by the Cabinet Division, officials of all government, semi-government autonomous and private organisations, banks and financial institutions have been asked to remain at their respective workstations during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays. Shops and shopping malls will remain open from 10 am to 8 pm, maintaining health guidelines. If any violations are seen, the shopping malls and shops will be closed instantly, says the notification. Inter-district transport services will remain suspended, while only intra-district transport services will operate adhering to health guidelines from Thursday. However, launch and train services will remain suspended. As coronavirus cases have been growing at an alarming rate since mid-March, the government imposed a ‘loose’ nationwide lockdown for one week from April 5 as part of its move to contain its spread. Also Read:Officials asked not to leave workstations during Eid holidays Later, a ‘stricter’ lockdown was declared from April 14 to 21. On April 28, the government again extended the lockdown till May 5, with the country struggling to contain the Covid-19 transmission. On April 23, the Cabinet Division issued a notification allowing shops and shopping malls to operate from April 25 (10am-5pm) on the condition that they would maintain proper safety protocols.    

The movement of city buses resumed on Wednesday, the 3rd day of the 7-day countrywide lockdown, as the government has allowed public transport services in city corporation areas. However, the movement of city buses in different areas of capital Dhaka was thin due to a small number of passengers. “City buses started going back into operation on Wednesday morning but the number of buses is low. As the number of passengers is low, owners are operating a little number of buses,” said Joint Commissioner (Traffic North) Abu Saleh Sheikh Russel. Traffic Inspector (Mohakhali) Asaduzzaman said “Buses have been moving since morning within city corporation areas but the number of buses and passengers are low. As the government has suspended the ride-sharing services, we’re filing cases against those found operating the services.” “We’re also monitoring whether people are following health guidelines,” he said. Talking to UNB, Ashrafuzzaman, manager of Alif Paribahan, said: “We’re operating 60 percent buses maintaining health protocols. Usually, 200 vehicles operate on four routes. As the number of passengers is poor and long-haul bus services have been suspended, we’re now operating 60 percent buses.” But the resumption of bus services has apparently reduced the sufferings of office-goers and commuters in the capital. Although Covid-19 cases and its fatalities reached a new high on Tuesday people are found largely reluctant about obeying health rules and lockdown restrictions. However, experts said it will be difficult to contain coronavirus infections and deaths if a strict lockdown is not enforced as the situation is turning worse day by day. Read: ‘Loose’ lockdown causes sufferings to commuters Many patients are moving from one hospital to another for beds or oxygen support as most hospitals are occupied.

Bus services from Khulna to others parts of the country including the capital will remain suspended from Wednesday due to growing concern over coronavirus.

Students in Chattogram will soon be able to travel to any destination within the city for only Tk 5.