A much-needed initiative

To ensure women's safety in public transport, CCTV cameras have been installed in 100 buses of four transport companies in the capital yesterday.

The Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, in association with Dipto Foundation, inaugurated the installation event at Syed Nazrul Islam Convention Centre, adjacent to the Mirpur Beribandh area.

Under a pilot project, CCTV cameras have been installed in 100 buses of Projapoti Paribahan Ltd (Mohammadpur to Abdullahpur), Rajdhani Super Services Ltd (Chandra to Demra Staff Quarter), Basumoti Transport Ltd (Gabtoli to Gazipur) and Poristhan Paribahan Ltd (Ghatarchar to Abdullahpur).

State Minister Fazilatun Nessa Indira said this project will help protect women from any untoward incident while commuting in Dhaka city.

Ministry secretary Hasanuzzaman Kallol said, "Installation of CCTV cameras and central monitoring cells will be able to scan everything on the bus happening in real time. If it is a success, the entire country will be brought under this system in the future."

Dipto Foundation Executive Director Zakia K Hassan highlighted that they chose to install the cameras in the local buses of Dhaka, because the working women, especially RMG workers, take these buses regularly.

The foundation will submit a report to the ministry every three months, through which a clear idea can be obtained about the performance, progress and challenges of the initiative.