In a move to improve passenger safety ahead of the upcoming Eid holidays, the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association has mandated the installation of CCTV cameras in all long-distance buses across the country.
The decision aims to curb rising incidents of robbery, mugging, and harassment of female passengers during inter-district travel. It was announced through an official circular signed by the association’s General Secretary, Md Saiful Alam, on Saturday, and has already been communicated to all district and company-level branch committees.
The directive cites a recent surge in criminal activities on buses, including theft, assault, and particularly the harassment of women, as well as a troubling increase in road accidents due to overspeeding. To address these concerns, bus owners have been instructed to install both CCTV surveillance systems and speed governors in every long-distance vehicle.
Earlier, on 8 April, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) had urged the association to take immediate action. The government has also issued firm instructions to ensure enforcement of the measures.
According to the latest guidelines, all buses must be equipped with the required safety devices by June 1. Failure to comply will result in organizational and legal actions against the bus owners. Authorities have also decided that no serial numbers will be issued, effectively barring any non-compliant bus from operating—unless CCTV cameras and speed control devices are installed.
