Cabinet okays draft of BRT act

The cabinet today approved the draft of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Act-2016, under which six dedicated fast-moving bus lanes will be built for the improvement of the capital’s transport system.

BRT Line 3 would be the first of such six rotes stretching 42.5km from Shibbari in Gazipur to Jhilmil in Keraniganj via Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Initially, construction of the 22km route from Gazipur to Airport will be done by 2018.

The proposed law will regulate the BRT system which would be able to transport 40,000 passengers per hour on the Gazipur-Airport-Jhilmil route, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told reporters after the cabinet meeting at the secretariat.

The proposed law has a provision for highest 10 years jail term or fine of up to Tk 50 lakh or both for violating the law.

On the designated routes, fast-moving, high-capacity BRT buses will run between stations every three minutes, the secretary said.

The government plans to implement BRT services in Dhaka, Gazipur, Narsingdi, Narayanganj, Manikganj and Munshiganj.