Md Rakel Islam, Bogura

To ensure safe and comfortable travel for working women and female students, Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) has launched a special 'Women's Bus Service' in Bogura.

The service was inaugurated locally from the Bogura BRTC Truck Depot premises on Tuesday morning after a virtual inauguration in Dhaka.

Rezaul Karim Badsha, MP from Bogura-6 (Sadar) constituency and district BNP president, inaugurated the bus service locally from the Bogra BRTC truck depot premises.

In his speech as the chief guest, he said, "Women constitute almost half of the country's total population. It is not possible for any nation to achieve complete development by leaving women behind. An environment of equal participation of men and women must be created for the sake of the country's overall growth."

He further mentioned that in this bus service, only women will be responsible for all positions including passengers, transport drivers, conductors and helpers. As a result, it will not only provide special safety and convenience for women in their travels, but also open new doors of employment for women in the transport sector. He expressed hope that this initiative of Dhaka, Chittagong and Bogra will be gradually spread across the country.

According to sources at the BRTC Bogra depot, this service is currently being started through two 46-seater non-AC buses.

The Sherpur-Matidali route bus will leave Sherpur at 7:20 am every day and will travel via Naymile, Shajahanpur, Majhira, Banani, Satmatha and Government Mujibur Rahman Bhandari Women's College to Matidali intersection. It will start its return journey from Matidali intersection at 3 pm.

The maximum fare for this route, which has a total distance of 56 kilometers (up-down), has been set at 63 taka.

On the other hand, the Mokamtala-Banani route bus will leave Mokamtala at 7:20 am every day and reach Banani Bazar via Mahasthan, TMSS Hospital, Matidali, Government Mujibur Rahman Bhandari Women's College and Satmatha. It will leave Banani at 3 pm. The full fare for this 50-kilometer route is 56 taka.

The depot authorities have confirmed that the fare has been re-fixed at the government-determined rate of 2 taka 23 paisa per kilometer as per the Road Transport Act, 2018.

BRTC Manager (Operations) Md. Shahinul Islam, District Women's Party President Shahzadi Laila, Women's Party General Secretary Nazma Akhter, BRTC Administrative Officer Md. Mahfuz Alam, Accounts In-charge Md. Nefaul Islam, Technical Head Mintu Kumar Roy, BRTC trainees and local dignitaries were present at the inaugural ceremony.