Metro Rail ushers in a new horizon in transport system of the capital

Staff Reporter :
Country’s most densely populated city Dhaka has entered the era of the new horizon of the transportation system by introducing the Metro Rail service for the people to cut the sufferings on the busiest roads full of traffic congestion.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday waved the green flag to start the metro rail from Uttara Diabari, saying that it added another feather to Bangladesh’s cap of development journey.
“One more feather after the Padma Bridge has been added to the journey of Bangladesh’s development with inaugurating the metro rail,” she said while addressing a rally at the Diabari Playground in Uttara.
She said that her government has brightened the country’s image across the globe by building the Padma Bridge with own finances and by opening the metro rail, the country has entered the electric, remote controlled and fastest ever communication era.
Earlier, Sheikh Hasina released a commemorative bank note of TK 50 to mark the opening of the metro rail.
Recalling the terrible militant attacks on Holy Artisan, killing seven Japanese consultants, Prime Minister said that the attack was launched when the construction work of the metro rail was inaugurated by her.
She prayed for salvation of their departed souls and expressed her gratitude to late Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe, saying he always played great role in Bangladesh’s development.
The construction work of the metro rail had started within few days of the Holy Artisan attacks at the directive of Abe, she said.
The prime minister said that a monument with the names of them (Japanese killed in Holy Artisan attack) has been built in Diabari.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and Chief Representative of the JICA in Bangladesh Ichiguchi and Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori spoke at the programme. Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam and President of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry Rawshan Ara Mannan were present.
Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary A B M Amin Ullah Nuri delivered the welcome address while Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) MAN Siddique gave a brief description on the progress of the metro rail.
Addressing the rally, Obaidul Quader said, “Metro rail is another golden feather added to the crown of the government’s success. Through the inauguration of Metro Rail, the much-awaited dream of the residents of Dhaka has been fulfilled.”
Newly appointed Japanese Ambassador Iwama Kiminori said his government was keen to boost the bilateral relations with Bangladesh and would support Bangladesh in its development initiatives in future.
The theme song of the metro rail was played and a video documentary on the metro rail was screened at the function as well.
After the inauguration, the elevated metro rail, carrying Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana along with around 200 other passengers left from North Uttara to Agargaon at 01:53pm.
Around 200 passengers including freedom fighters, Speaker, ministers, government officials, diplomats, school students, ethnic minority and others joined the premier in the maiden metro rail journey.
Earlier, the Prime Minister collected the ticket from the North Uttara Station followed by her younger sister Sheikh Rehana. Later, both of them punched their ticket at the entry of the station and boarded on the train.
After the arrival at the North Uttara Station, the Prime Minister also planted a sapling there. As part of women empowerment, Mariam Afiza, the first operator drove the metro train.
“We are very excited. I feel proud and honoured to have Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on board as the country witnessed its first-ever metro ride,” Afiza said.
Following the introduction of metro rail, the US Embassy in Dhaka on Wednesday congratulated Bangladesh for inaugurating the country’s first-ever Metro Rail.
“We want to give a special shout-out to the six female metro train drivers, including Maryam Afiza,” said the mission on its verified Facebook page.
Speaking with the media, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni said, “Till now we have seen metro trains in other countries. Now, Bangladesh has its own metro rail service.”
“This shows the advancement and development achieved by Bangladesh in recent years,” she added.
From Thursday, the train is now open for the passengers who can enjoy the hassle free journey to reach their destination within a short time.
Initially, the train will run between 8am-12pm every day from Uttara to Agargaon stations without any break. And the remaining seven stations between these two will be opened by March next year.
In order to cut troubles on getting buses for rest of the journey on roads, the state-owned Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) will operate 30 double-decker buses to transport passengers from and to metro rail stations.
Of those, 20 buses will be operated on the Agargaon-Motijheel route via Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Shahbagh and Gulistan, while 10 others will run from Uttara’s House Building to Uttara’s North station at Diabari via Abdullahpur.
The government-owned company DMTCL is implementing the metro rail projects. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been constructing the metro rail and providing soft loan for the project.
The construction work of the MRT Line-6 began in 2016. The second section of metro rail from Agargaon to Motijheel and the third section from Motijheel to Kamalapur railway station will be launched in phases.
The metro rail from Agargaon to Motijheel will be introduced in December next year.
According to the project details, initially some 10-set of trains having six coaches will run from Uttara to Agargaon.
At each station, the train will wait until the boarding and alighting of passengers is completed. Each train can run at a speed of 100 to 110 km with 2,300 passengers. However, the speed will be less in areas with bends.
After assuming power in 2009, the Awami League government took various initiatives to reduce public sufferings by easing traffic congestion in the capital.
Bangladesh is the third country in South Asia to operate metro rail service. India got its first metro commissioned in 1984 in Kolkata, while Pakistan started its first metro in Lahore just two years ago.