Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) on Tuesrday launched a women-only “Pink Bus” service, with 14 buses operated by female drivers and conductors across 13 routes in Dhaka, Chittagong and Bogra.
The initiative aims to provide women with safer, more comfortable and harassment-free public transport. The government also plans to expand the service in phases by adding up to 100 pink-coloured electric buses.
Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam inaugurated the service at the BRTC Dhaka Truck Depot in Tejgaon.
Speaking at the event, he said ensuring women’s safety in public transport was the responsibility of the state.
“Safety must be ensured not only after women board a bus, but also while they are waiting for it and when they get off,” he said.
“If women face harassment, discomfort or unsafe situations while boarding or alighting, they may lose interest in using public transport. Ensuring safe mobility for women is therefore the responsibility of the state.”
The service has been introduced as part of the government’s election commitments, with existing BRTC resources initially being used to launch the buses under its 180-day action plan.
The women-only service has initially started with 14 buses—10 in Dhaka, two in Chittagong and two in Bogra.
In Dhaka, the 10 buses will operate on 10 routes. One is a single-decker, while the remaining nine are double-decker buses. The service will cover a total of 106 stops in the capital.
The two buses in Chittagong will operate on the Kalurghat–Patenga route, while the two in Bogra will operate on the Sherpur–Matidali and Banani–Mokamtala Stand routes.
The Chittagong service will cover 12 stops and the Bogra service 16, bringing the total number of stops under the programme to 134.
The Dhaka routes are:
- Notun Bazar–Motijheel
- Taltala–Motijheel
- Demra Staff Quarter–GPO
- Mirpur-10–Motijheel
- Mirpur–Motijheel
- Mirpur-12–Motijheel
- Narayanganj–Dhaka
- Mohammadpur–Motijheel
- Abdullahpur–Motijheel
- Gazipur–Airport
The routes connect several of the capital’s busiest residential, commercial and transport hubs, including Mirpur, Badda, Rampura, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Uttara, Farmgate, Shahbagh, Gulistan and Motijheel.
One of the key features of the service is that both the drivers and conductors are women.
Railways and Road Transport and Highways Division State Minister Habibur Rashid said the initiative was designed to ensure safer and more comfortable travel for women.
“The special feature of this service is that not only the passengers, but also the drivers and conductors, are women,” he said.
The initiative is also expected to create more employment opportunities for women in a transport sector traditionally dominated by men.
For many women in Bangladesh, however, the challenges of using public transport begin before they even board a bus.
Overcrowding, unwanted touching, verbal harassment and unsafe conditions at bus stops have long been among the concerns raised by women passengers.
The government says the dedicated service is intended to address these concerns and encourage more women to use public transport.
The Pink Bus service will also incorporate technology aimed at improving safety and convenience.
BRTC has introduced electronic ticketing under its recent agreement with online ticketing platform Shohoz.
The digital ticketing system is expected to allow passengers to buy tickets before boarding, reducing waiting times and dependence on physical ticket counters.
Government-approved fare charts will also be displayed prominently at depots, on buses and at counters.
The buses are being equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, Wi-Fi and vehicle tracking systems.
Initially, CCTV cameras have been installed on three buses, while one bus has been provided with Wi-Fi. All 14 buses have been fitted with vehicle tracking systems, according to BRTC.
Officials said these technological features would gradually be expanded across the entire service.
The government is also planning a significant expansion of the women-only service through the introduction of electric buses.
Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam said an initiative had been taken to procure 100 pink-coloured electric buses for women passengers.
The government aims to introduce 50 of the buses within the next three months and gradually expand the fleet to 100.
He said the plan was part of a broader effort to modernise Bangladesh’s public transport system and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
“Electric buses will play an important role in establishing a multimodal transport system in Dhaka,” he said.
Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary Dr Mohammed Ziaul Haque said the government was working to add 50 electric buses to the Pink Bus service within three months and 100 within six months.
While the introduction of women-only buses offers an additional transport option, the minister stressed that ensuring women’s safety must go beyond the journey inside the vehicle.
Safe waiting areas, adequate lighting and secure conditions at bus stops are also necessary to make public transport genuinely accessible to women, he said.
BRTC Chairman Abdul Latif Molla said the state-owned transport corporation was working to become a more modern, passenger-friendly and service-oriented organization.
He said initiatives had also been taken to arrange financing and loan support for introducing electric buses in city services in the future.
BRTC said the number of buses and routes under the women-only service would be expanded gradually.
The broader objective, officials said, is not only to improve safety and comfort for women passengers but also to increase women’s participation in public transport and promote a cleaner, more environmentally friendly urban transport system.
Officials from the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, the Road Transport and Highways Division, BRTC and other government agencies, along with transport sector stakeholders and women passengers, attended the inauguration ceremony.
