Dolonchapa, women-only bus service, launched

Dolonchapa -- a bus service dedicated to women -- by Rangs Group and supported by Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicle Ltd was launched at Bangabandhu International Conference Center, Dhaka yesterday.

With many female commuters reporting being sexually harassed in some form or the other while using public transport, this private initiative -- the first of its kind in Bangladesh -- promises to address the growing need for safe public transportation for women.

Buses carry more than half of Dhaka's commuters although they account for only 10 percent of all vehicles on the road. With around 54.38 percent of Dhaka's population being women and with the number of working women on the rise, this project could provide them a safe option.

Initially, two buses, designed with features like CCTV surveillance, first aid amenities, and other value-added features to ensure a safe and comfortable commute will ply between Mirpur circle and Azimpur, Mirpur 12 and Motijheel, while more buses will be added soon.

Photo: Rashed Shumon

“This is certainly a commendable effort and an example of how the private sector can come forward to address problems faced by the public. The moment Rangs informed me of their idea, I took no time to say, 'Just do it'. A total of 60 buses will be launched in turns,” said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.

“As more women are joining workforce, it is imperative that we provide the necessary infrastructure and support to ensure they find it easy to do so. This is our effort to ease their journey and their inclusion in the workplace as well as to help them get on with their daily lives in a safe environment,” said Rangs Group Chairman Abdur Rouf Chowdhury.

“We often see and read about sexual harassment in public transport. The workplace is one area where there are efforts to ensure parity and equal employment but unless the support systems, like transport, ensure similar levels of safety, security and comfort to women the efforts will remain incomplete,” said Rangs Group Director and the brain behind the initiative, Sohana Rouf Chowdhury.

“Women and girls I have talked to on this issue have unanimously expressed the need for a service like this and being a woman, it was fairly easy for me to empathise with them and drive my team to implement this in the shortest possible time,” added Sohana, who is also the managing director of Rangs Motors.

“As a brand, Eicher takes safety as a key component of our identity in this industry and having partnered with Rangs for so many years and having heard about this proposal, it was an easy decision for us to partner and provide our support and expertise to this initiative. ...We plan to extend this partnership on a deeper level,” said SS Gill, senior vice president, Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicle Ltd.