On Wednesday morning, observational accounts from key city thoroughfares revealed a stark contrast. While the newly introduced women-only buses trundled along with barely a handful of occupants, standard public transport remained packed to capacity. Female commuters were even seen clinging precariously to the doorways of regular buses during the morning rush hour, highlighting a deep disconnect between the new service’s availability and the daily commuting habits of Dhaka’s working women.

Around nine o’clock in the morning, a Mirpur-10 to Motijheel women-only bus service passed the Shyamali bus point. An inspection of the vehicle revealed that the upper deck was entirely devoid of passengers, while only four or five women occupied seats on the lower deck. Beyond the intended demographic, a male passenger and a conductor were spotted towards the rear. Following the vehicle past several stops up to the Parliament House traffic signal, no additional passengers boarded or alighted. Because the bus bypassed stops due to a lack of patrons, transport staff could not be reached for comment.

By contrast, women continued to brave overcrowded general buses, with many spotted hanging from the entrances of mixed-gender BRTC buses to reach their destinations on time. Later that morning, between half-past nine and half-past ten at Farmgate, observers noted a complete absence of the dedicated service during peak transit hours.

Commuters waiting at the busy Farmgate hub shared mixed sentiments regarding the rollout. Asma Akhter, a local office worker waiting at the stop, explained the pragmatic approach taken by daily commuters. She noted that relying exclusively on the new service was impractical given the tight schedules of working professionals. While she would board the dedicated bus if it happened to arrive, waiting indefinitely risked severe delays to her morning arrival. Another commuter, Sonali Khatun, echoed these thoughts, having waited half an hour without sighting a single dedicated vehicle. While praising the government initiative as a positive step, she emphasized that the limited fleet size made dependable scheduling impossible during rush hour, urging authorities to expand the programme swiftly.

The service was officially inaugurated on Tuesday morning at the BRTC truck depot premises in Tejgaon. According to official sources, the routes were mapped out to connect vital commercial and residential zones across Dhaka. In this initial phase, a total of ten buses have been allocated across nine distinct routes in the capital, operated entirely by female drivers and conductors.

Alongside the Dhaka rollout, the initiative has introduced a modest fleet in regional hubs, bringing the total initial launch to fourteen vehicles nationwide. Operating hours stretch from early morning until late evening, servicing over a hundred designated stops across the metropolis. Transport analysts suggest that increasing the frequency, expanding the fleet, and raising public awareness will be crucial for the service to gain traction among urban commuters who currently prioritize speed and reliability over exclusivity.