Dhaka Fuel Shortage: Bus Routes & Fares Adjusted

Dhaka North City Corporation rolled out extended bus lanes on Mirpur Road and Banani-Gulshan Link Road starting July 7, cutting average morning delays by 12 minutes on monitored stretches.

The moves come as reduced tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz lifted diesel prices at local depots to 98 taka per litre on July 8, forcing commuters and freight operators to seek cheaper alternatives. Similar price spikes hit other Asian and African megacities, yet Dhaka’s response emphasises fixed-route subsidies rather than blanket rationing seen elsewhere.

Local Transport Tweaks

The Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority added 40 extra BRTC buses on the Mirpur-to-Motijheel corridor and introduced a 15-taka flat fare for short hops inside the Tejgaon industrial zone. Two new pickup points opened at the Banani overpass and the old Dhaka airport perimeter to ease transfers for office workers. These steps target the 2.1 million daily bus users tracked by the authority’s 2025 ridership survey.

Officials compared the approach with Jakarta’s odd-even plate restrictions and Lagos’s sudden fuel queues, noting Dhaka avoided private-vehicle bans in favour of capacity increases on existing public lines.

Numbers Behind the Shift

City data released July 9 showed diesel consumption in the metropolitan area fell 7 percent week-on-week after the new lanes and fares took effect. Average peak-hour speed on the monitored Mirpur Road segment rose from 14 km/h to 19 km/h. The transport authority projects the changes will save riders roughly 180 taka per week on combined fares and time lost in traffic.

Residents can check the updated BRTC app or dial the DNCC helpline at 09666-770-770 for real-time bus locations before the evening rush begins.