Dhaka city Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka brushed aside any possibilities of constructing passenger sheds in the near future saying it brings extra hassle for the DCC.

"In most cases they become the hub of drug addicts and vagabonds or the bus operators take over the shed as ticket counter that is why we dismantled some of the sheds during the recent eviction drive," he added.

According to DCC sources, the length of total road network in Dhaka city is around 2289.69 kilometres and there are around 163 kilometres of footpaths. Millions of commuters use public transport everyday.

According to Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), 20 private bus companies operate in and around Dhaka city. They pick up and drop off passengers at 108 stoppages.

BRTC Volvo service has 9 stoppages in Mirpur-Matijheel route and 12 stoppages in Tongi-Matijheel route. Local buses enjoy the liberty of loading and unloading anywhere, anytime they like.

In early 2006 Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB) in coordination with DCC, BRTA and BRTC placed a study report to DCC outlining the need for passenger sheds and their possible designs. In the report DTCB suggested the construction of around 280 to 300 new passenger sheds in the capital city.

Additional Executive Director of DTCB Dr. Salehuddin said, "In our country monsoon lasts for about six months. Where would the commuters go when it rains? Necessity cannot be stopped"

"DCC needs to rethink its decision. DCC must consider the agony of the commuters and immediately execute the plans", he added.

About DTCBs suggestions the mayor said, "Their suggestion and plans seem academic. It is not realistic and does not go with the existing condition of the our streets"

"The reality is that we don't have enough space on the footpaths to build so many passenger sheds and our roads are not specious enough, so we cannot extend the footpath either", the mayor said.

Salehuddin however said that after the eviction of footpath encroachers, it should not be difficult to construct new sheds. The footpaths are almost free of hawkers now.

Syed Qudratullah, Superintendent Engineer, DCC Traffic Engineering Division, said, "A study called route rationalisation is underway to identify bus stops and spots for passenger sheds in the city".

While authorities spend time and money on studies for decades, commuters are left to suffer under the sky waiting for transport.

The existing sheds have a little or no use to the commuters as the sheds, constructed in an unplanned way, remain always occupied by the shopkeepers, hawkers, drug addicts and in some cases floating sex workers.

Over the years the DCC built numerous bus sheds for other mischievous purposes. Political influence forced DCC officials to take up projects to build sheds in an unplanned manner only to allocate shops to party men in prime city areas. All the shops gradually extended their occupation, leaving little space for people to stand, waiting for buses.

Come rain or shine commuters wait on the eroded footpath or no footpaths at all, as they have no right over passenger sheds.

During the recent eviction drives DCC dismantled some of these shops but within a few months they returned to their places.

Business hubs like Farmgate, Motijheel, Purana Paltan, Gulistan, Phulbaria, Mohakhali, Banani, Malibagh, Mouchak, Rampura, Gulshan, Mirpur, Shahbagh and Moghbazar, where thousands of commuters' move about every day has acute crisis of sheds.

The passengers waiting for buses beside the National Museum or BIRDEM Hospital bear with rain or scorching heat everyday.

"I have to stand under the open sky beside the museum. Some times buses take long time to arrive because of traffic jam. I cannot even take shelter during the rain as shops are situated on the opposite side of the road," said Abul Hashem, a regular commuter in Shahbag-Mohammadpur route.

Commuters at the Kalabagan, SOS Shishu Palli and Agargaon bus stop go through the same experience.

On the side of BIRDEM commuters stay under the over bridge or take shelter in the hospital when it rains.

The very few sheds of the city in most places are located far from where the buses stop.

Shyamoli Akter a commuter of Mirpur 11 to Matijheel route said, "The bus shed at Mirpur 11 is far away from where the buses stop. If it rains I have to wait in the medicine stores nearby. Most of the time I have to go to office all drenched."