Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the relevant authorities to accelerate plans for relocating several major inter-district bus terminals from key areas of Dhaka as part of a broader effort to reduce chronic traffic congestion and modernise urban transport management.
The instruction came during the third high-level meeting on traffic management and congestion reduction in the capital held on Monday. The meeting brought together transport experts, including communication specialist Dr Md Hadiuzzaman, along with administrators from the two Dhaka city corporations.
According to officials, the government has already identified a section of Purbachal as a temporary location for buses currently operating from the Mohakhali terminal. The long-term plan is to establish a permanent terminal in Tongi, Gazipur. Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu said the relocation is intended to reduce pressure on one of the capital’s busiest transport corridors.
Plans were also discussed for moving the Sayedabad-Jatrabari bus terminal to the under-construction Kachpur inter-district bus terminal. The Prime Minister instructed authorities to expedite the implementation of the Kachpur project to ensure a smooth transition.
Meanwhile, the Fulbaria-Gulistan terminal is set to be relocated to Keraniganj, while the Gabtoli terminal will eventually move to Hemayetpur in Savar.
The Prime Minister also ordered the removal and relocation of bus counters that have been established in an unplanned manner across different parts of the city.
Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Md Abdus Salam confirmed the decision regarding the relocation of the Sayedabad terminal.
He also said the Prime Minister emphasised a balanced approach to managing street hawkers, ensuring that livelihoods are protected while maintaining order and reducing public inconvenience.
The meeting further reviewed the long-delayed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. Officials noted that despite more than a decade of work and significant public investment, the project has yet to deliver expected benefits. However, they warned that abandoning it now would result in substantial financial losses.
In response, the Prime Minister instructed officials to prepare a practical and effective plan within seven days to maximise the project's benefits and ensure that public funds already invested can generate meaningful outcomes for commuters.
