Can BRT solve the transport crisis in Dhaka city?

Panel: Panel 8: Transport and mobility

Author:
M. Shafiq-Ur Rahman, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, BANGLADESH, Chairman, SusTrans Bangladesh

Abstract

Transport situation in Dhaka City, the capital of Bangladesh, has recently reached in a crisis situation – road congestion and emissions is spreading and the transport system is unable to meet the demands. Because of unavailable and overcrowded bus service, the cheapest form of public transport, the high dependence on walking and rickshaw in a city of 12 million is a symptom of inefficient and ineffective transport systems and operations. The expected addition of another 12 million people over the next 15 years will make the transport conditions almost unbearable, unless urgent measures are taken. So, policy measure for transport of the city should be directed towards tackling the large amount of travel demand and reducing congestion. Based on the secondary information, this paper has been initiated to come up with some guidelines for providing sufficient transport supply. For this purpose, successful bus rapid transit (BRT) systems of developing countries especially Bogota and Curitiba have been studied to gain lessons for the possibility of BRT in Dhaka. The study found that BRT is the most suitable form of public transport for Dhaka City to tackle the public transport crisis.