Metro Rail services resume tomorrow
The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), the company that operates metro rail services, is taking preparations to resume services from tomorrow, Sunday.
Confirming the development, DMTCL public relations officials Nazmul Islam Bhuiyan told Prothom this afternoon there is a proposal to resume metro rail services from tomorrow. Preparations are underway in compliance with that.
He further said a meeting between the DMTCL and metro rail operating team is under way. The decision will be finalised by this afternoon.
On 18 July, the authorities shut down metro rail services after the police box at Mirpur-10 roundabout was set on fire in the afternoon. A day later, metro rail stations at Mirpur-10 and Kazipara were vandalised.
Following the formation of the new interim government on 11 August, a decision was taken to resume the service from 17 August from Uttara to Motijheel. However, trains won’t stop at the Mirpur-10 and Kazipara stations for the time being. It is not yet possible to operate activities from these two stations due to damages sustained in the violence centering the quota reform movement.
However, DMTCL secretary Mohammad Abdur Rauf, on 15 August said in a press release that it won't be possible to resume operations on 17 August. The press release said it had not been possible to conduct technical checks and test runs yet.
DMTCL sources said despite fully functional lines, coaches, and signal systems, the metro rail service has been suspended due to a strike by metro rail workers, alleging senior officers enjoy more facilities than the lower-level workers.
While talking to Prothom Alo, DMTCL MD MAN Siddique said they extended assurance of meeting all rational demands of the workers, but the latter continued to push for an official decision approved by the board.
Later on 18 August, road transport and bridges affairs adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said metro rail services will resume within seven days. The metro rail employees joined work on 20 August.