1100 BRTC buses, trucks ready to roll tomorrow

The Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) has added 600 more Indian air-conditioned (AC), non-AC and double-decker buses and 500 trucks to its fleet.

The state transport entity got the commuter and freight vehicles under the country's second line of credit (LoC) facility from its next-door neighbour.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will launch the new BRTC service from Gonobhaban tomorrow (Monday) after talking with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi through video conferencing.

Official sources said the premiers would be connected through a video call around 01:00 pm for the roll-out.

The BRTC Motijheel Bus Depot will simultaneously be hooked up to Gonobhaban to show the imported buses.

On the occasion, three more India-aided projects-11 water treatment plants at Bhandaria, 36 community clinics in five districts and extension of national knowledge network-will also be launched.

Of the total imported buses and trucks, BRTC officials said, nearly 100 buses and 100 trucks have already reached Bangladesh and are kept at different depots.

BRTC chairman Farid Ahmed Bhuiyan said the buses would run as both city service and intercity service.

Some buses would also ply long routes, he said, adding that new double-deckers would run in Dhaka city only.

Under the second LoC, the BRTC signed an agreement to procure 100 single-decker AC city, 100 single-decker AC intercity and 300 double-decker buses from Indian automaker Ashok Leyland.

Tata Motors will supply 100 single-decker non-AC and 150 trucks of 10.2 tonnes.

Another 350 trucks with 16.2-tonne capacity will also be procured under the Indian credit.

The total cost of the BRTC bus and truck purchase projects was Tk 6.83 billion. Of the money, Tk 4.66 billion comes under the LoC.

Currently, the state-owned bus operator has 920 buses and 85 trucks in operation.

Mr Bhuiyan said the trucks are usually used for the transportation of state goods.