Even though the authorities concerned made a major decision to relocate city’s three inter-district bus terminals to new areas outside Dhaka, the fate of the project hangs in the balance as it has remained stalled for nearly 10 months.
Under the project taken up at an estimated cost of Tk 11,200.69 crore, it was planned to relocate Gabtoli, Sayedabad and Mohakhali bus terminals to Hemayetpur, Kanchpur and Vatulia with a view to easing traffic congestion in the capital city.
Work on the project started, but progress in the relocation of three bus terminals has
stopped since August 5, 2024. After the regime change uncertainty has loomed over the project’s future.
The plans included the construction of five new terminals around Dhaka and setting up of five new bus depots in Aati Bazar, North Kanchpur, Kanchan, Baipail and Gazipur.
The objectives of the project were to stop inter-district buses from entering the capital city and reduce traffic jam significantly.
As part of this initiative, Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) in March, 2020 assigned Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company (IIFC) under Economic Relations Division to conduct technical, financial and institutional feasibility study. IIFC completed the study by September 2020.
According to the plans, new Sayedabad terminal was scheduled to be operational by June last year. Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has already spent around Tk 26 crore on the project.
However, doubts have now arisen over whether the terminal will actually be shifted from Sayedabad to Kanchpur. The project has come to a halt since August 5, 2024 following the political transition.
The Bus Route Rationalisation Committee had decided to build Kanchpur terminal to stop buses from 16 districts under Chattogram and Sylhet divisions from entering Sayedabad. The plan was for long-distance passengers to disembark at Kanchpur and avail of city transport to reach their destination. This was expected to ease congestion in Sayedabad, Jatrabari and surrounding areas.
On April 26, DNCC Administrator Mohammad Ejaz announced a plan to construct a dedicated road to ensure smooth traffic around Gabtoli terminal. This announcement has created further doubt if the two city corporations will proceed with terminal relocation programme.
Various studies and surveys on Dhaka’s traffic and public transport indicate that 24 percent of vehicles plying city roads every day come from other districts or suburban areas. Additionally, about 40 percent of bus counters located in the city create traffic congestion.
DSCC officials said that landfilling on 12.5 acres of land owned by Roads and Highways Department began in August last year and it has been completed at a cost of around Tk 26 crore. Work had started on setting up boundary pillars to prevent soil erosion, but it came to a stop after the fall of the Awami League government.
When contacted, DSCC Superintending Engineer of Traffic Engineering Circle Rajib Khadem and Chief Engineer Aminul Islam claimed that they were ignorant about the update on the project.
During visit to Kanchpur on May 19, it was found that the project office has turned into a safe haven for drug users with the surrounding area occupied by shops and multiple political party offices.
With no security guards, locals are freely extracting sand from the site for road use, and land grabbers are reportedly encroaching on parts of the project area.
A transport official, requesting anonymity, said, “Although this is a long-term plan, it lacks political will. Projects are stalled due to budget allocation issues and a lack of coordination among relevant departments.”
DTCA’s Additional Executive Director (Planning & Programming), Mohammad Motasim Billah (Additional Secretary) declined to comment and referred the matter to Deputy Transport Planner Dhruba Alam.
However, DTCA’s Additional Executive Director (TMPPTI) Mohammad Rabiul Alam clarified that DTCA does not implement projects but only conducts feasibility studies. “We have submitted four proposals that include planning, concept notes and cost estimates. It is the responsibility of the respective city corporations to implement projects.”
He said inter-district bus terminals at Hemayetpur and Vatulia are under the jurisdiction of DNCC while projects in Madanpur and Baghaire under the jurisdiction of DSCC.
DTCA Transport Planner Muhammad Rakibul Hasan said, “The project has not yet reached the implementation stage.”
Sources at DNCC said that for implementing the projects at Hemayetpur and Vatulia, the corporation wants to work under a public-private partnership (PPP) model and has already submitted proposals to the ministry.
Urban transport experts argue that terminals like Sayedabad are incompatible with modern urban planning. They believe the repeated delays stem from a lack of political commitment, effective oversight, and inter-agency coordination.
Regarding the issue, Zahid Al Latif (Khoka), Organising Secretary of Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association, said that there is an ill-motive behind the move to relocate terminals from the city.
He said, “Every year several crore of taka in revenue are paid to the government from the terminals. Yet, the government has never taken any clear or effective steps to improve these facilities.”
He claimed that certain quarters within the city corporations and the transport sector are involved in embezzling thousands of crores of taka in the guise of terminal relocation.
“Plans to relocate terminals on the pretext of improving passenger services and easing traffic congestion are in fact lacking in transparency and go against public interest.”
He also urged the government to modernise the existing terminals and implement a well-planned management system.
Iqbal Hashem Khan, Joint General Secretary (Sayedabad) of Transport Owners’ Association, and Sirajul Islam, President of Mohakhali Bus Terminal, stated that Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) did not consult them about terminal relocation.
Secretary General of Bangladesh Passengers’ Welfare Association Mozammel Haque said, “Relocating inter-district bus terminals outside Dhaka is crucial to reducing traffic congestion.”
“As the relocation plan is timely and could have addressed real challenges, lack of visible progress, administrative delays, budget issues, and apathetic attitude of institutions have left the project hanging. If transport reforms remain confined to studies and concept reports, city’s traffic congestion will worsen,” he added.
