Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation’s new pink bus service, operated entirely by women drivers, assistants and conductors, is seeing stronger passenger demand during morning and evening office hours but low occupancy at other times. The service was introduced to support safer travel for women, with buses operating in Dhaka and planned routes also covering Chattogram and Bogura. On the third day after inauguration, drivers said many buses were travelling with vacant seats outside peak periods.

Passengers said they lack reliable information about bus routes, schedules and stops, sometimes forcing them to wait for long periods. Women commuters and students welcomed the service, saying it could reduce fears of harassment, unwanted touching and overcrowding on regular public transport. Drivers attributed lower off-peak use to limited buses, route constraints and public unfamiliarity, while expressing hope that demand will grow.

BRTC plans to launch 50 pink buses within three months under the government’s 180-day work plan. Initially, 14 buses will run on 13 routes, including 10 in Dhaka. Fares are collected through POS machines, while e-ticketing, vehicle tracking and some CCTV coverage have been introduced. Transport stakeholders nevertheless cited previous unsuccessful women-only bus initiatives and questioned the new service’s long-term viability.