Metro Rail Touches Karwan Bazar-Shahbag

The Shahbagh and Karwan Bazar metro rail stations in Dhaka have started operation Sunday (December 31) morning.  

With the latest ones, all 16 stations of the mass rapid transit (MRT) line-6 are now providing service, though for a curtailed timeframe for the portion from Agargaon to Motijheel. 

Mahbub Alam, a private service holder with residence at Kazipara, used to disembark the metro rail at the Farmgate station and walk on foot to his office at Karwan Bazar.

An overwhelming number of passengers, ranging from 130,000 to 156,000, are regularly using the metro rail service

However, the opening of Karwan Bazar station made his office-trip more convenient. He expressed joy to get off the metro rail at the station close to his office.

An overwhelming number of passengers, ranging from 130,000 to 156,000, are regularly using the metro rail service, said MAN Siddique, managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL).

The operation of metro rail was disrupted during the last New Year's celebration as  Fanush (lanterns) flown to mark the celebration fell on the rail-track.

This time, the DMTCL requested the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) to take necessary steps to contain the repeat of the previous year’s disruption, he said.

The DMTCL specifically sought a ban on flying lanterns within a one-kilometer radius on both sides of the metro rail line, MAN Siddique added.