To solve Dhaka’s commuting crisis, prioritise improving public transport
The challenges that commuters face while travelling in Dhaka is nothing new. With nearly 2.4 crore of residents, the city has been experiencing crippling traffic that caused a loss of more than 80 lakh work hours daily in 2023. It also costs commuters an average of $4 daily in lost productivity and exacerbates air pollution, posing significant public health risks. The issue stems from a significant gap between an underfunded public transport system and the soaring number of private vehicles. The elevated Dhaka metro rail transports about three lakh passengers daily, but this capacity is inadequate for the overall demand, underscoring the urgent need to enhance public transport infrastructure in the capital city. The current piecemeal solutions have failed to rectify this imbalance.
Dhaka's commuting crisis stems from an overreliance on private vehicles and a lack of awareness about rail-based public transport. A city its size should allocate 25 percent of its land to roads, but it only dedicates seven to eight percent, with a mere three percent for public and heavy vehicles. This discrepancy leads to severe mobility challenges. The rising number of private vehicles exacerbates the problem. In 2024, Dhaka recorded 62.6 lakh vehicles, including 45.8 lakh motorcycles, while only 1,516 new buses were registered during the same time frame. This imbalance has led to chronic traffic congestion, with vehicle speeds plummeting to just seven kilometres per hour.
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The public transport system suffers from inefficiencies primarily due to a limited coverage that leaves many peripheral neighbourhoods without direct bus access. The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) indicates that Dhaka needs 7,043 buses and minibuses on 110 routes, but only 4,500 are operational—two-thirds of the required fleet. This gap leads to longer wait times as buses operate irregularly. Furthermore, the ageing and poorly maintained buses have frequent breakdowns and delays. Bus stops and terminals are often in disrepair and lack basic amenities, undermining service reliability and safety.
The rise in private vehicle ownership is fuelled by economic growth, urbanisation, and cultural shifts favouring personal transport. As car ownership rises, Dhaka's limited road infrastructure struggles to accommodate the increasing number of vehicles, leading to chronic congestion. Commuters spend 46 minutes every two hours daily in traffic. This inefficiency worsens environmental issues, too, as idling vehicles contribute to air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Dhaka's public transport infrastructure inadequacy is exacerbated by poor integration of land use planning and transport development. Transport authorities like the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) and the BRTA deal with challenges such as insufficient staffing, lack of skilled personnel, and poor inter-agency coordination. These systemic issues hinder effective decision-making and the implementation of essential transport projects. Additionally, vested interest groups influence the allocation of funds, leading to inadequate investment in public transport. Resources are often dispersed, resulting in fragmented development efforts that fail to address the city's comprehensive transport needs. Ongoing mass transit projects such as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) have not kept pace with population growth and traffic demands, continuing the reliance on private vehicles. Current policies also fail to address the environmental impacts of rising vehicle emissions and air pollution, and measures are lacking to mitigate these challenges.
From a social welfare standpoint, public transport offers affordable mobility for all, reducing income and location-based disparities. This aligns with redistributive policy theories as investing in public transport can yield greater societal benefits than prioritising private vehicle ownership. Public transport systems are also more efficient, accommodating more passengers per vehicle, thus decreasing the number of vehicles on the road and enhancing travel efficiency. It generally costs less than owning a private vehicle, which involves expenses like fuel, maintenance, and parking. For many low-income households, public transport is a less burdensome option for daily commutes, leading to an improved quality of life and greater economic stability.
Public transport is vital for promoting environmental responsibility as well. By reducing the number of private vehicles, it helps lower traffic congestion, pollution levels, and carbon footprints. With the adoption of eco-friendly technologies, such as electric buses and trains, modern public transport systems are further minimising their environmental impact.
Significant improvements to the public transport system are essential for reducing car ownership and usage in Dhaka. Model predictions indicate that households with two cars could see ownership decline by 5.88 percent and usage decrease by 15.22 percent, resulting in a 15 percent reduction in emissions and fuel consumption. To achieve this, Dhaka must prioritise investment in a robust public transport system, expand operational routes to alleviate pressure on the system, and reduce reliance on private vehicles. A comprehensive study to identify underserved areas and expand service accordingly can significantly improve accessibility.
The Institute for Transport and Development Policy recommends upgrading the bus fleet and infrastructure to enhance accessibility, traffic flow, and emissions reduction. Introducing newer, more efficient vehicles can improve reliability and safety, while dedicated bus lanes, improved bus stops, and better traffic management systems can streamline operations and encourage public transport use. Policies to discourage private vehicle use are equally critical. Implementing congestion pricing, as successfully demonstrated in cities like London, Stockholm, and Singapore, can mitigate traffic by imposing fees on vehicles in high-demand areas.
Public awareness campaigns are vital for shifting perceptions of public transportation. Many commuters in Dhaka view buses as unreliable and overcrowded. Highlighting the economic and environmental benefits of an improved system can encourage greater public transport usage and reduce dependency on private vehicles.
Addressing Dhaka's public transport challenges requires a comprehensive approach that emphasises coordinated planning, institutional capacity-building, and increased investment in infrastructure. By prioritising public transportation, upgrading infrastructure, and regulating private vehicle use, the city can develop a more equitable, efficient, and sustainable transportation system. Future road network performance can be further enhanced through initiatives like updating and implementing the Strategic Transport Plan (STP) for the Greater Dhaka Area (GDA).
Dr Md Abdul Latif, a global ambassador and ADB-JSP scholar, is additional director at the Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management (BIGM). He can be reached at abdul.latif@bigm.edu.bd.
Kaynat Rahman is research associate at BIGM.
Views expressed in this article are the author's own.
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