In 1990s, when we consented to the notion of open market we were supposed to resolve if we would allow private cars or private buses to take lead of our roads. Instead of choosing buses, we chose private cars.
That was the root cause for our suffering in Dhaka along with many other cities in Bangladesh. While we needed thousands of buses, our policy makers ran after private cars. It seems, as if, people having no private cars do not deserve to live in big cities like Dhaka, Chittagong etc.
From 2000 onward, the situation has been altered substantially.The number of private buses have increased a lot. But when middle class people found themselves sitting , suppose, with the peon or cleaner of their own offices, the situation forced many to buy cars by taking bank loan, if not possible from own source.
All men are alike but class is something that we cannot repudiate.When a service holder putting on suit and tie has to use a local bus usually murkiest and shabbiest, naturally he might feel distraught.Most age-old local buses of Dhaka are just scraps and nothing else.
However, the status quo has started to be changed with the appearance of fresh buses that have been trying to re- introduce the concept of sitting service in premium price in true sense of sitting service. Mentionable that around 40 lakh workers are directly or indirectly involved in the road transport sector in the country, according to the Sramik federation.
We have many taxi cabs that comparatively well offs are likely to use. Recent addition to this is UBER car which is an international car rent system used by internet. It has eased the lifestyle of many middle class people who have no cars of their own.
In Dhaka many people were ready to pay for a good transport for which UBER came to Dhaka city. UBER is now the most popular transport in Dhaka. We have thousands of CNGs but still compared to population it was not sufficient. Now UBER have been sharing the load of CNGs and Yellow cars.
The disposable income of the populaces of Bangladesh claim that many of them are capable to use air conditioned buses. But except BRTC bus, we do not have sufficient air conditioned buses. We have seen movement of air conditioned buses in Dhaka specially in Uttara - Motijheel route previously which was stopped later. At least for female these AC buses were better alternative to private cars. Only by increasing the number of AC buses, private cars could have been decreased in Dhaka and Chittagong.
However, our intercity bus services have developed very positively in last 20 years. Both AC and Non-AC buses having quality service have ensured comfort and safety to inter-city passengers. Many say: We have such luxury buses that are as much at ease as air plane. Inter city buses have brands like Mercedes Benz, Volvo etc.
Interestingly enough, peoples dependency on launch service has not reduced yet in spite of growth of the inter-city buses. Many people choose to use launch service as more comfortable and cheaper than inter-city buses.Our train service has also improved in last fifteen years. We have AC train service now.
The AC compartments of train are very demandable for passengers. In crowded Dhaka city train is also popular specially to move from Kamalapur area to Tongi. All incoming and outgoing trains of Dhaka stop in Airport Train Station as well as Kamalapur Rail Station.
In cities like Dhaka and Chittagong, motor bike is the customarily popular transport for middle class people who use it comfortably. Many professions like profession of journalist, marketing representatives demand such fastest transport like motorbike.
