A move taken by the authority concerned to bring disciplines in the city's bus system through major reform is going on at a snail's pace.
In absence of introduction of such bus system, incidents of reckless driving and 'unhealthy' competition among bus operators are increasing in the city day by day, observers said.
Losing hand by college student Rajib Hossain was one of such incidents that took place in the city recently due to reckless driving by two bus drivers, they added.
Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) held only one meeting on the BusNet since it was given the task of launching the 'company system bus service' in January this year.
Sources said a 12-member committee formed at the 10th board meeting of DTCA sat on March 15, but it could not take any decision due to absence of leading bus operators and association leaders.
They said the committee members inspired the DTCA to form a working group to work on the reform issue. But the group is yet to be finalized.
"It is now high time to reform the city bus system to save people's lives. But the move cannot be expedited for political reason," said an official involved with the BusNet process.
He said any decision without a leading operator cannot be taken at the meeting.
DTCA officials, however, said a group of bus operators who are operating buses on a proposed pilot route have already expressed their willingness to join the BusNet.
In a letter, they also said only 12 out of 105 bus operators are eager to run buses on the route.
The officials said it would take at least five years to make BusNet functional as there are lots of stakeholders and business and political interests are involved in the process.
DTCA executive director Syed Ahmed admitted that the move to form the bus company should start immediately and said the authority has been trying their best to do the job.
"It (bus company system) must be introduced soon. We are also working on the target to do it," he told the FE at his office on Thursday.
According to the DTCA plan, the BusNet will be formed to bring over 6,000 buses operating on over 250 routes under six bus companies.
The DTCA under a World Bank-funded study done in 2013 recommended bringing down the number of city bus routes to 91 from 152 by 2016 and 72 by 2020. But the number of routes to increase to more than 250 now allowed competition among bus operators.
Besides, due to not giving route permits as per the scientific method, overlapping and repetition of plying of many buses on a route created chaotic situation in the city.
As the owners give lease of the bus to drivers and helpers, it is now found that buses of same companies compete with each other on the same route, putting the lives of commuters and pedestrians at risk.
The BusNet idea was initially taken by late DNCC Mayor Annisul Haq at the prime minister's directive, but after his death in last December, the DTCA board members bestowed the responsibility to the DTCA.
Sources said the working group proposed by the committee has not yet been formed as the meeting recommended naming junior officials.
They said decision on the bus companies cannot be taken by junior officials.
The working committee was expected to be formed with the executive director of DTCA, representatives of mayors of Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka Metropolitan Police and secretary general of Bangladesh Road Transport Association.
The main task to offer a business model needs expert committee which has not been formed yet.
