Hatirjheel Rapid Pass struggles to gain traction amid commuter frustration
Passengers complain of slow card processing, repeated errors, and persistent reliance on manual tickets, leaving the initiative far from achieving its cashless commuting goal
Despite being introduced to ease travel with a cashless payment system, the Rapid Pass service for Hatirjheel's circular bus is failing to live up to expectations.
Passengers complain of slow card processing, repeated errors, and persistent reliance on manual tickets, leaving the initiative far from achieving its cashless commuting goal.
Officials, however, said that software and service upgrades are underway to make the systems work smoothly.
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Sakhawat, a regular commuter at Hatirjheel, said the card often shows the message: "Sorry, try again," causing delays and crowding. "I end up buying manual tickets at the counter as a result," he added.
Mahira, another commuter, noted, "It takes much longer to tap the card here than in the metro. In the metro, it works in milliseconds, but at Hatirjheel, it takes several seconds."
A Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) official confirmed that a single card tap currently takes 1.22 to 1.30 seconds at Hatirjheel, while metro taps occur in nanoseconds. "This slow processing frustrates commuters," the official said.
DTCA started the project with great hopes, but it is not getting much response. About 4,200 passengers use the Hatirjheel bus service daily. Around 76% still use manual tickets, while only 24% rely on Rapid Pass, up from 10-12% earlier.
Another DTCA officer added that most buses in the country are not adequately designed for the devices. Many devices are installed vertically or locked in tight spaces, making usage difficult.
The official further said that passengers often tap while boarding but not while alighting, causing card blockage. These cards then need to be sent for repair.
DTCA has developed a new software version expected to be faster than metro systems. Officials plan to launch it next week.
According to DTCA data, around 900–1,000 passengers use Rapid Pass daily on Hatirjheel circular buses. During the week of August 17–23, nearly 10,000 passes were used, while 20–30 Rapid passes are sold daily at counters.
By comparison, 1,200–1,600 metro cards are sold daily. Metro sees approximately 1.1 Lakh daily Rapid Pass users out of 3.5–4 Lakh passengers, representing a usage rate of 27–31%.
Hatirjheel buses use GPS technology to determine fare and announce stations automatically. According to a DTCA engineer, this prevents fare-related confusion.
An official noted that bus owners are reluctant to spend 50,000–60,000 taka on devices. Manual systems allow revenue leakage, which cashless systems prevent.
DTCA said mobile financial service and Visa or MasterCard recharge options are near completion. There are also plans to expand the system to Glushan Chaka, Dhaka Chaka, and BRTC buses.
Neelima Akhter, Director of DTCA, said the problems will be gone with time. "It has just been launched. People need time to adapt. We hope other transport sectors follow this model. The sector is constantly growing, and technology will be updated while maintaining order," she said.
