Introducing school buses is the need of the hour

It is good to know from Dhaka North Mayor Atiqul Islam that they are planning to introduce buses for different schools, especially the English-medium ones, to reduce traffic congestion in the city. While we appreciate the mayor for suggesting this big step, we would also like to add that the government should introduce school buses in both English and Bangla medium schools. Designated school buses will not only reduce traffic jams in the city, but it will also ensure safety of the schoolchildren on the road.

Dhaka's traffic congestion has become literally unbearable over the last one decade, due mainly to an increasing number of personal cars and various infrastructure development projects going on across the main thoroughfares of the city. While we are hopeful that these development projects, such as the metro rail, will end soon, can we hope to see a reduced number of private cars on our streets in near future? No, not until our public transport system becomes safe and convenient for the commuters.

According to a study by Brac Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), traffic congestion in Dhaka eats up around five million working hours every day and costs the country USD 11.4 billion every year. If we want to reverse the situation, we need to make some vital changes in our public transport system. Since private cars are a major reason for the crippling traffic jam on an average work day, we need to come up with good plans to reduce their number on the road.

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Dhaka needs a city school bus service, now!

The affluent citizens of the city generally send their children to school by car. And, often, one car carries only one child. This creates a mad rush of privately-owned cars during school hours, bringing the main roads of the city to a standstill. Some of the residential areas in Dhaka have become difficult to live in due to day-long traffic congestions, caused by the unlimited number of cars parked on the roads. If all the schools in the city have their own buses for carrying students, the situation will significantly improve. Fewer cars on the streets will also mean better air quality.

But how the government will make the schools agree to their plan is the question here. The DNCC mayor has said that the government will reduce taxes for those who will introduce school bus service. While this may encourage some schools to take this major step, more incentives are needed for this initiative to be an all-out success.

We hope the government will seriously consider this issue and come up with a well-thought-out plan with participation from all the stakeholders involved.