Women’s bus service introduces e-ticketing system: State minister

The Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation’s (BRTC) newly launched women’s bus service will have an e-ticketing system, allowing female passengers to purchase tickets before boarding and reduce waiting time at counters, Road Transport and Bridges State Minister Habibur Rashid Habib said on Tuesday.

He made the remarks at the inauguration of the BRTC’s ‘Women’s Bus Service (Pink Bus)’ programme in Tejgaon.

The service is initially being launched with 14 buses on 13 routes in Dhaka, Chattogram and Bogura. Ten buses will operate in Dhaka, while two each will run in Chattogram and Bogura.

The buses will serve a total of 188 stops�"160 in Dhaka, 12 in Chattogram and 16 in Bogura�"and will be operated by female drivers and conductors.

Habibur Rashid said the buses have been equipped with CCTV cameras and GPS to ensure the safety of both female passengers and female staff.

He said the government has also started the process of adding 100 electric vehicles to the BRTC fleet, with new EV buses expected to be added soon.

The state minister added that the Finance Ministry was working to provide around Tk 800 crore in loan support to add new buses to the BRTC fleet.

He said the initiatives would help modernise public transport, reduce its environmental impact and ensure safer travel for women.

SKS