By Asif Showkat Kallol (Dhaka Bureau)
Bangladesh’s government has unveiled an ambitious plan to relocate four of the capital’s largest intercity bus terminals outside the city, marking one of the most significant attempts in years to tackle chronic traffic congestion in one of the world’s most densely populated urban centres.
The initiative, announced following a high-level meeting on traffic management and urban mobility chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday, forms part of a broader strategy to modernise Dhaka’s transport infrastructure, reduce traffic bottlenecks, and improve public transport services.
Under the proposed plan, the city’s major bus terminals will gradually be shifted to peripheral locations. The historic Fulbaria-Gulistan terminal will be relocated to Keraniganj on the southern outskirts of the capital. The Mohakhali terminal will initially move to a temporary site in Purbachal before eventually relocating to a permanent facility near Tongi. The Gabtoli terminal will be transferred to Hemayetpur, while the Sayedabad-Jatrabari terminal will be shifted to Kanchpur.
Government officials argue that the current concentration of long-distance bus operations within central Dhaka has become unsustainable, contributing significantly to congestion, pollution and inefficient use of road infrastructure.
‘The objective is to separate intercity transport operations from the city’s internal traffic network,’ said one official involved in the discussions. “Long-distance buses should not occupy valuable road space inside the capital while waiting for passengers or operating as de facto depots.”
The decision comes as Dhaka continues to struggle with severe traffic congestion despite billions of dollars invested in transport infrastructure over the past decade. According to urban planning experts, the city loses thousands of productive hours daily due to traffic delays, imposing substantial economic costs on businesses and commuters.
A key concern identified during the meeting was the widespread practice of using major bus terminals as overnight parking and maintenance depots. Officials noted that the number of buses operating from several terminals now exceeds their designed capacity, creating spillover effects onto surrounding roads.
To address the issue immediately, authorities plan to establish temporary holding areas where buses can remain during layover periods before entering terminals only when scheduled to pick up passengers.
Under the arrangement, buses serving the Mohakhali route will be directed to a designated facility in Purbachal. Similar temporary locations have been identified for operators currently using the Fulbaria and Sayedabad terminals.
Officials believe this measure alone could significantly reduce congestion around some of the city’s most heavily trafficked transport hubs.
The government is also seeking to eliminate the widespread practice of roadside passenger collection by long-distance buses. Transport operators frequently pick up passengers from multiple points across the city after departing terminals, contributing to traffic disruption and undermining formal terminal operations.
Authorities said illegal roadside ticket counters and informal pickup points would be gradually removed. Instead, passengers will be encouraged to use official terminal facilities where ticketing, waiting areas, and passenger services can be better regulated.
The City Corporation has been instructed to improve passenger amenities within existing terminals while longer-term relocation projects are implemented. Officials said upgraded ticketing systems, passenger information services, and improved terminal management would be introduced over the coming months.
The bus terminal relocation programme forms part of a broader urban mobility agenda that includes renewed efforts to modernise traffic management systems.
Government officials confirmed that digital traffic signals have already been activated at several intersections across Dhaka and that Shahbagh, one of the capital’s most strategically important junctions, will soon be integrated into the upgraded network.
The initiative is being supported by technology developed with assistance from engineering specialists, including researchers from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). Authorities hope that AI-assisted traffic monitoring and adaptive signal systems will improve traffic flow and encourage greater compliance with road regulations.
Officials point to early signs of success, noting that motorists have increasingly begun following traffic signals even during low-traffic periods, a significant cultural shift in a city where signal compliance has historically been inconsistent.
Alongside traffic management reforms, policymakers are reassessing the future of the long-delayed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor connecting Gazipur, Ashulia and Uttara.
The project, which has consumed approximately Tk 3,000 crore and remains around 97 per cent complete after more than a decade of construction, has become a symbol of both Bangladesh’s infrastructure ambitions and the implementation challenges that frequently accompany them.
Rather than abandoning the project, policymakers are now exploring several alternative operational models. One proposal would maintain the dedicated BRT infrastructure while modifying buses to allow dual-sided passenger doors, enabling vehicles to operate both within the median-based BRT system and on conventional city routes.
Transport specialists argue that such an approach could maximise the value of existing infrastructure while avoiding the costs associated with developing an entirely separate fleet.
Officials said multiple proposals are currently under review and that a final decision may be presented to the cabinet in the coming weeks.
The broader transport reform programme also extends to street-level urban management challenges, including the long-running issue of informal hawker occupation of footpaths.
Authorities acknowledged that previous eviction drives have produced mixed results, with vendors often returning shortly after enforcement operations conclude. Policymakers are now considering alternative arrangements designed to preserve pedestrian access while providing viable locations for informal traders.
Urban planners have long argued that transport reform in Dhaka cannot be separated from broader questions of land use, pedestrian mobility and enforcement capacity.
The success of the latest initiative will therefore depend not only on infrastructure investment but also on effective coordination among multiple government agencies, transport operators and local authorities.
While the relocation of bus terminals has been discussed by successive administrations for years, implementation has repeatedly stalled because of land acquisition challenges, political resistance and opposition from transport stakeholders.
The current government’s decision to set specific relocation targets and establish temporary operational alternatives suggests a greater sense of urgency than previous efforts.
Whether the measures will produce a lasting improvement in Dhaka’s notoriously congested transport system remains uncertain. However, few dispute that the status quo is becoming increasingly untenable for a city whose population continues to expand and whose economic importance continues to grow.
For now, policymakers are betting that moving intercity buses to the capital’s periphery may help create the breathing space needed to restore order to one of Asia’s most congested urban transport networks.
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The Writer:
Asif Showkat Kallol: Works for a German-based online outlet, The Mirror Asia, as Head of News and is a Contributor, Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.
