Residents of Bashabo, Khilgaon, Goran, Taltala, Sipahibagh, Manda, Mugda, Meradia, South Banasree and KadamtAla said they had to depend on rickshaws, three-wheelers and cabs, as there is no bus service from these areas to the central part of the city.

Last week, Nasrin Begum, and her daughter had to wait in a long queue to board a maxi (human hauler) to get to Motijheel Ideal School & College. As they were almost at the end of the line, they could not board the vehicle that appeared after 45 minutes of waiting.

Having no other choice, she hired a rickshaw at double the usual fare to get her child school on time.

"I face this problem most of the time and the situation worsens when it rains," she said exasperatedly.

"We are totally dependent on rickshaws, CNG-run three wheelers and taxi-cabs, which are expensive and often unavailable to go to Farmgate, Motijheel or the central part of the city," said Md. Alam, a resident of Taltala.

"No one has taken any initiatives to solve this problem of communication in the last 20 years. The ward commissioner and local leaders are buried in their own interests," said Md. Anwar Hossain, owner of Sipahibagh Islania Dini Shikha Karjokrom who has been living in the area for 31 years.

He added that big bus companies could take up the challenge of running a service in these areas.

Nisaruddin Ahmed Kazol, commissioner of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC)'s ward number-24 denied the allegation.

"Most roads in these area are too narrow to drive human hauler, let alone bus or minibus," he said.

"Most residents are from the low income group. They cannot afford to invest a huge amount to run buses or minibuses," he added.

Habibul, a human hauler driver from Sipahibagh said that authorities do not give route permits for buses to ply in most of the eastern areas.

It is learnt that only 30 human haulers ply on the route from Shipahibagh to Gulshan and about 35 from Goran to Gulistan.

Residents also said that the limited number of vehicles do not serve their purpose during rush hours.

"The only way out is to walk to our destinations," said Harun, a resident of Tilpapara in Khilgaon.

A high official of Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB) on condition anonymity said that the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) should reintroduce the service along the routes that no private operators want to ply.

The BRTC introduced a circular bus service a few years ago, along Gulistan, Kamalapur, Mugda, Basabo, Khilgaon level crossing, Malibagh, Kakrail, and Paltan.

"It was later suspended as the BRTC continued to incur losses," said another BRTC high official.

When contacted, Taimur Alam Khandekar, BRTC chairman said that they have no plans to introduce a new bus service at city's eastern part. "The route was not profitable as buses were held up for hours in traffic jams at the Khilgaon level crossing," he said.