The state-run BRTC has taken a move to bring all city-service buses, operating in Dhaka city and adjacent areas, under e-ticketing system by December this year with an aim to reduce hassle of passengers and improve overall services.

As part of the plan, Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation will start e-ticketing services in all the 71 buses operating from Gazipur to different destinations in Dhaka from tomorrow.

BRTC, which launched the e-ticketing service last year, has so far introduced this system on eight city routes.

The development came as e-ticketing service for buses on Mirpur route started partially on Saturday, as part of the private bus operators' plan to bring all city buses under the system within February next year.

Until Saturday, helpers of almost all private buses collected bus fare manually without providing any tickets and in many cases, overcharged passengers, resulting in arguments among passengers and bus staffers.

But under the e-ticketing system, bus staffers provide tickets using POS (Point of Sale) machines, following the government-fixed fare chart, leaving little scope for overcharging and altercation.

In a press conference on Saturday, Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association General Secretary Khandkar Enayet Ullah announced to introduce e-ticketing services for all buses on all routes in Dhaka and adjacent areas gradually.

After Mirpur route, 60 bus companies will introduce the system from January 31, 2023, while 97 other companies will run their buses under e-ticketing from February 28.

This means that operation of some 5,650 buses in Dhaka and its suburbs will be brought under the system by February 28.

BRTC spokesperson Amjad Hossain said work is going on to bring all 71 buses operated from Gazipur to different destinations under e-ticketing system.

"As per our plan, we hope to bring all city service buses under e-ticket service within December this year," Amjad, also the general manager (accounts) of BRTC said.

More than 300 BRTC buses are being operated under some 40 routes in and around Dhaka city, said a BRTC official not willing to be named.

Bedsides, over 300 buses, which provides services to government staffers, also provides city services after their duty hours for a set amount of time, he added.

Currently, BRTC operates over 1400 buses in Dhaka and other districts in the country, said the official.