More than two decades after its construction and four years after plans were announced to shift inter-district bus operations there, Rajshahi's Nawdapara Bus Terminal remains largely unused, while chronic traffic congestion continues around the city's old Shiroil Bus Terminal.
Transport owners blame inadequate infrastructure at the terminal for the delay, while residents say illegal roadside bus parking and passenger boarding on busy city roads are causing severe traffic snarls and increasing accident risks.
According to the Rajshahi Development Authority (RDA), the Nawdapara Inter-District Bus Terminal was built on 7.41 acres to ease traffic pressure in the city. Construction began in 2000 and was completed in 2004 at a cost of Tk7.16 crore. The facility can accommodate around 500 buses at a time.
An additional Tk23 crore was spent on a 4km connecting road linking the terminal to Bhadra, which has since been upgraded to a four-lane road.
Despite the investment, the terminal has yet to become the city's main hub for inter-district bus services.
A recent visit found only a handful of buses parked inside the facility. Waterlogging was visible at entry points, while ticket counters sat largely unused under layers of dust. Empty buses were seen entering and leaving the terminal throughout the day.
Drivers said the terminal is currently used mainly for parking, vehicle washing and rest breaks.
"Passengers rarely come here because it is too far from the city centre," said bus driver Nayeem Islam. "Many have to spend Tk50 to Tk100 just to reach the terminal. So buses collect their schedules here and then return to the city to pick up passengers."
A terminal staff member, speaking anonymously, said the project had failed to deliver its intended benefits.
"So much money was spent on the terminal, yet buses still have to go into the city to collect passengers," he said. "There is no proper drainage system, and waterlogging remains a year-round problem."
Buses registered to operate from Nawdapara continue to pick up passengers at makeshift counters in Talaimari, Bhadra, BindurMor, Greater Road and near the railway station, often creating bottlenecks on major roads.
Although authorities had planned to relocate operations from Shiroil to Nawdapara in 2022, the move stalled amid objections from transport owners.
Meanwhile, buses continue to occupy large sections of roads around the Shiroil terminal despite available space inside the terminal compound, narrowing carriageways and worsening congestion for motorists and pedestrians alike.
Rajshahi Bus Owners Association General Secretary Md Nazrul Islam Helal said transport operators had repeatedly raised concerns with the RDA.
"The ticket counters are too small, and even light rain leaves the terminal muddy and difficult to access," he said. "The area needs to be elevated and upgraded. Once these issues are addressed, we also want the relocation to take place."
Rajshahi City Corporation Administrator MdMahfuzur Rahman Riton said making the Nawdapara terminal operational would significantly reduce traffic pressure in the city.
"We have held several rounds of discussions with transport owners and workers. Efforts are underway to implement the relocation as quickly as possible," he said.
RDA Chairman AbulKalam Azad Swapan said the authority would identify and address the infrastructure shortcomings highlighted by transport operators.
"We will take the necessary steps to improve the facilities and move forward with making the terminal fully operational," he said.
