Bangladesh to Enter the Era of Underground Metro Rail

Bangladesh is going to enter the era of underground metro rail. Eight firms led by Japan's Nippon Koei Co Limited have been appointed as consultants for this country's first underground project.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Managing Director MAN Siddique and Nippon Koei Co Limited Managing Director Naoki Kudo signed an agreement in this regard on Sunday (October 23) at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital's Sherebangla Nagar.

In this project identified as MRT Line-1, the entire 19.872 km section from the airport to Kamalapur via Kuril, Badda, Rampura will be underground. There will be total 12 stations in this section.

Another part will be elevated; that part will be from the Notun Bazar to Purbachal via Kuril. There will be a total of nine stations in this section of 11.369 km.

The total length of 31.241 km metro rail project is targeted to be completed by 2026.

In the event, it was informed that the consortium got the work of the consultant through the international tender. The consortium with Nippon Koei Co Limited (Japan) includes Oriental Consultants Global Co Limited (Japan), SYSTRA SA (France), Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (India), Nippon Koei India Private Limited, Katahira & Engineers International (Japan), Development Design Consultants Limited (Bangladesh) and Nippon Koei Bangladesh Limited.

The contract price for the work as a consultant for the project has been fixed at 1 thousand 517 crore 24 lakhs taka. Out of this, 393 crore 36 lakh taka will be provided from the government's own funds and 1 thousand 123 crore 88 lakh taka will come as project assistance.

Under the chairmanship of Road Transport and Highways Department Secretary ABM Amin Ullah Noori, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Bridges Ministry Roshan Ara Mannan attended the event.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki and Japan International Cooperation Agency-JICA chief representative Ichiguchi Tamohide were present on the occasion.

Obaidul Quader said to the Japanese ambassador at the event that through the implementation of our development projects with your funds, an immense door has been opened to keep pace with the modern world.

Stating that the first metro rail is being launched in Dhaka this year, the bridge minister said that the people of the country are hoping for the inauguration of the metro rail from Uttara to Agargaon next December after the Padma Bridge. After that, it can be inaugurated till Motijheel in December next year.

He expressed hope that a total of six metro rail works will be completed in Dhaka by 2030.