Bangladesh has a large population that is heavily reliant on its public transportation system, particularly bus services. It is disconcerting, therefore, that these very services crucial to the public's daily commute continue to be in a state of disorder.
The bus system in and around Dhaka lacks discipline, to put it mildly, and is responsible for a number of hardships that citizens have to endure on the daily. A lack of reliable bus services has also led to a number of people opting to use cars, adding to the already heavy traffic congestion and amount of pollution.
It is also worth noting that an overwhelming majority of our road accidents are usually caused by buses. This has more to do with unscrupulous bus companies that pit bus drivers against one another.
All of these point towards just one solution: Our bus service system is in need of immediate reform, and proper policies and strategies must be drafted to restore order.
The authorities have proposed a number of improvements to bus services in recent times, including an e-ticketing system and making school buses mandatory. While these are certainly promising initiatives, we must also ensure that they are implemented in a way that will prove to be sustainable and convenient for the general public, and also reduce the hardships that city-dwellers currently face on the road.
Dedicated bus lanes need to be designed, and bus companies need to be regulated so that discipline on the streets and the safety of passengers are ensured.
We have let an unruly system cost our economy, our environment, and our people a great deal already -- it's time to change that.