State Minister for Road Transport and Bridges Habibur Rashid -File photo

DHAKA, Sept 6, 2026 (BSS)- State Minister for Road Transport and Bridges Habibur Rashid today said that initiatives have been taken to relocate the four bus terminals at Gabtoli, Mohakhali, Sayedabad and Gulistan soon and to use existing depots as part of efforts easing the city traffic congestions.

He said discussions were also held on expanding an alternative terminal at Gabtoli, removing illegal structures in Narayanganj and Gazipur and improving terminals operated by the city corporations.

The state minister made the remarks while talking to BSS after a meeting of the national committee to address traffic congestion in Greater Dhaka, held at the Road Transport and Highways Division at the Secretariat.

Habibur Rashid said the meeting initially reviewed how far the policies and action plans adopted to address traffic congestion in the city have been implemented and identified the measures that need to be carried out quickly.

He said emphasis has placed on coordinated action by the relevant agencies to ensure timely implementation of the decisions taken to ease traffic congestion.

The state minister said one of the major causes of traffic congestion in the capital is the excessive pressure of buses and public transport within the city. To reduce this pressure, a plan has been taken to lessen dependence on existing terminals and use of terminals and depots at alternative locations.

“We have terminals for addressing traffic congestion and we are taking initiatives to temporarily use some of the depots we already have. We are looking at using places such as Kanchpur and Purbachal,” he said.

The state minister also said discussions were held on further expanding the Gabtoli bus terminal. Talks were held with the concerned authorities on how the new areas adjacent to Gabtoli could be brought into use quickly. Emphasis is being given on the speedy implementation of such alternative infrastructure to reduce the pressure of public transport at the entry points to the capital.

Habibur Rashid said illegal structures on roads in various areas surrounding the capital including Narayanganj and Gazipur are also among the major causes of traffic congestion. The meeting discussed removing of these structures and making the roads suitable for smooth vehicular movement.

He said it would not be enough to take initiatives only to ease congestion within the capital. Greater importance must also be given to the transport links between Dhaka and the surrounding areas. Necessary measures will therefore be taken to remove obstructions on important roads and highways around Dhaka, evict illegal structures and ensure orderly movement of public transport.

The state minister said detailed discussions at the meeting focused mainly on the four bus terminals. Their existing management, the possibility of relocating them to alternative locations, opportunities to use depots and the role of the concerned city corporations are discussed.

He said initiatives would also be taken to improve terminals managed by the city corporations. Discussions covered establishing bus counters at the terminals, ensuring necessary facilities for passengers and making the transport management more effective.

The meeting also discussed allowing air conditioned buses, in particular, to use designated terminals. It was decided that the locations and arrangements for bus counters and other necessary facilities would be determined in coordination with the concerned city corporations and transport stakeholders.

The state minister said merely widening roads or constructing new roads would not solve the city’s traffic congestion. Terminal management, bus operations, parking, counter management and the pressure of vehicles entering and leaving the capital must all be considered in an integrated manner.

The meeting reviewed the actual progress of the decisions already taken and placed emphasis on speeding up work in areas where implementation has been slow.

Discussions were also held on increasing coordination among the relevant institutions and completing the work within the stipulated timeframe.

Habibur Rashid said the meeting reviewed the progress of measures adopted under the traffic congestion mitigation policy and assessed how far implementation had advanced. Decisions were taken to move these initiatives forward as quickly as possible and within the appropriate timeframe.

He said the government’s initiatives to ease traffic congestion now need to be implemented with greater momentum. The concerned ministries, city corporations, transport agencies and other stakeholders must work in coordination to achieve this, he added.

A huge number of people in the capital rely on public transport every day. In various areas, the management of bus terminals and counters creates additional pressure on the roads.

In many cases, buses stop on the roads to pick up and drop off passengers, disrupting traffic movement. Officials concerned believe that bringing the terminals under disciplined management could significantly reduce these problems.

According to the government’s plan, necessary infrastructure for public transport will be developed and improved in areas surrounding Dhaka alongside measures to reduce traffic pressure within the city.

This is expected to reduce the improper stopping and parking of buses on major roads and increase traffic flow.

The meeting also discussed future measures in addition to ongoing initiatives to ease congestion in Greater Dhaka. Decisions were taken to undertake necessary administrative and coordination measures to accelerate the implementation of relevant projects and initiatives.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner, administrators of various city corporations, secretaries and senior officials from the ministry and several other ministries were present at the meeting.