Dhaka Nagar Paribahan was supposed to be the first modern bus service in the capital, but it continues to face many of the same problems as traditional bus services.
The new bus service began operation on a pilot basis from late December last year, with 20 buses operated by the private company Trans Silva and 30 by the state-owned Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC). The first route runs from Ghatarchar to Kanchpur.
According to officials concerned, the bus fare under the new service is Tk2.15 per kilometre.
On a recent visit to the Dhaka Nagar Paribahan counter at Elephant Road, this correspondent found there was not a single ticketing agent in sight. The shed constructed for waiting passengers was not being used despite light rain, as no one wished to disturb a man who was sleeping there.
After about 10 minutes, a Trans Silva bus arrived. The driver of the bus disembarked and immediately began arguing with the drivers of Taranga Plus and Shikor Paribahan buses, as they were parked in front of the Dhaka Nagar Paribahan counter in an attempt to poach their passengers.
Eventually, a man with a green ID card approached the waiting passengers. Everyone thought he was going to sell them tickets, but he just asked them where they were going before ushering them onto the buses and telling them to pay the fare later.
After the bus started moving, an assistant began collecting fares from passengers just like they would on a traditional city bus – by overcharging and dismissing the protests of passengers. The assistant demanded Tk40 from this correspondent and offered a refund after learning of her identity.
It was found that such irregularities were more common on Trans Silva buses than on those owned by the BRTC.
When asked why bus workers were resorting to ticketing irregularities instead of using the proper system, the workers told Dhaka Tribune many of them had grown disgruntled with the company’s ownership.
The owners were not paying the salaries the workers were owed and had also been forcing them to work extra shifts, pushing many of them into corruption to make ends meet, the workers alleged.
Unfulfilled Promises
Several Dhaka Nagar Paribahan workers said the government had promised them steady salaries and work hours, but the Trans Silva owners were yet to fulfil these promises.
Many of them were being made to work 18 hours a day, when they are supposed to work for only eight.
“The law requires every bus to make two trips each day, but the owners demand at least three. If a bus does not complete three trips, the supervisor calls the workers in and inquires why three trips were not completed. This all takes a heavy mental and physical toll,” said one of the workers.
Another worker said: “From what I have heard, helpers like me are supposed to be paid Tk9,000 a month and the boss [driver] Tk15,000. Instead, we are getting a daily allowance of Tk200 and the boss Tk300.”
Trans Silva drivers claimed that BRTC drivers got more benefits because they were paid directly by the government.
However, BRTC drivers said they used to make more money by conducting irregularities under the old system, but now they only collected their salaries and followed the system to the letter.
“We are making less money, as I used to earn about Tk30,000 a month, but at least the passengers do not scream at us anymore. We can drive more peacefully now,” said a BRTC driver.
‘Still Better Than Other Bus Services’
Abdul Goni, an employee at a private bank, visits Motijheel on a daily basis. Nowadays, he prefers to use Dhaka Nagar Paribahan.
“In comparison to others, their service is better. I can buy tickets easily and there is no crowd at the counter. I can get on and off the bus at my location safely, because the buses are not racing against each other to pick up passengers,” he said.
Salma Khatun, a student, said: "Dhaka Nagar Paribahan is great, but it takes longer to arrive. There aren’t any safe places to wait for a female here [in Jatrabari], so I often have to get on whichever bus shows up first.”
Commuters believe many of the problems with the service would be solved if more buses were introduced and staff members maintained discipline.
