Dhaka Metro Rail Services Disrupted Due to Technical Glitch

A huge number of passengers were caught between Uttara and Agargaon on Wednesday, August 9, about 9:30 a.m., when metro train service abruptly came to an end.

Nasir Uddin Ahmed, director of operation and maintenance for the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL), claims that the Overhead Catenary System (OSCS) of the Dhaka metro line is malfunctioning.

"We are currently facing an issue with Metrorail's Overhead Catenary System. Preliminary indications suggest a possible intrusion into the system that has led to an interruption in the electricity supply required for the trains to operate," he explained.

"The timeline for resumption cannot be determined at this moment, as it largely hinges on the complexity of the problem encountered," he added.

Currently, the extent and nature of the intrusion are under investigation.

"Engineers and technical experts have been mobilised and the team is working diligently to pinpoint the exact cause of the disruption," said the DMTCL director.

The functioning of the Dhaka metro train system was partially suspended for 40 minutes on February 20 of this year due to a kite that is said to have become tangled with one of the system's electric poles.

DMTCL asked locals and parents to prohibit their children from flying kites, lanterns, or gas balloons within a kilometer on each side of the metro train line from Uttara to Agargaon in the aftermath of the disaster.

A sizable throng had assembled at the Uttara North (Diabari) station when the services were abruptly halted on Wednesday.

As they waited in line to purchase tickets at the counters and discovered that they were momentarily sold out, frustration started to spread among the throng.

In the last two days, metro rail began its services 40 minutes past the regular hours (8ma) citing technical problems on the tracks.