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Remove unfit vehicles from city streets: PM

Directive to introduce BRTC bus service for city's educational institutions

UNB, Dhaka
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday ordered removal of the unfit buses and other vehicles from the city streets to protect the environment and ease traffic congestion.
She was addressing a function marking the inauguration of 100 CNG-run BRTC singledecker buses at the Bashar Base of the Old Airport in the morning.
Hasina also directed the authorities concerned to take initiatives to introduce specific BRTC bus services for the city's educational institutions, especially schools, and banks to provide the city dwellers with comfortable and timely transport facilities.
She said: “Formulate policies and guidelines to arrange buses for schools, colleges, banks and other institutions. We want to facilitate the city dwellers with smooth, timely and comfortable public transport.”
About her plan for introducing BRTC bus services on a massive scale, she said a modern bus service can be introduced for all educational institutions.
"If the BRTC buses move around the city everyday and take passengers from the schools and colleges at a certain time from morning to evening, then the students and teachers will no t feel it necessary to use their private cars," she said.
She said the government will provide at least two buses for each of the colleges in the capital.
She further disclosed that the government will procure 600 more new buses.
Hasina said the government wants to intro-
duce a strong and modern public transport system in the country, particularly for the city dwellers.
She noted that in most developed countries, public transport systems are very strong and provide outstanding service to their citizens.
Sympathising with the common people of the capital for the suffering they face trying to get into public buses during rush hours, Hasina said the government's priority is to provide fast and smooth transport facilities for the masses.
“Most of the city dwellers do not have their
own cars. So we want to provide them with modern bus services so that they can travel comfortably and timely," shesaid.
She expressed her deep empathy with city dwellers who have to wait for hours just to catch buses every morning.
“We want to build the capital as a pollution-and congestion-free city,” she said.
Referring to the losses incurred by BRTC and other government services, Hasina said all projects and services can be profitable if corruption is rooted out and management runs its affairs as per the rules and regulations.
"However, in the case of public services, profit or loss should not be the prime concern. Rather people's interests and comforts must be given the top priority,” she said.
She said many drivers of buses and other vehicles do not follow the traffic rules contributing to serious traffic jams on the streets.
She ordered the traffic police to strictly implement the traffic rules and take stern action against the violators.
Hasina reiterated her commitment to reform the railway services and introduce commuter train services between Dhaka and its adjacent districts, the elevated express way, underground subway, flyovers, ring-roads and waterways to modernise the transport system across the country, including the capital.
Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain and BRTC Chairman MM Iqbal Khan CPP also spoke at the function with Communications Secretary Mozammel Haque Khan in the chair.