Metrorail will run from tomorrow Sunday. Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), the Metrorail managing company, is preparing accordingly.
Nazmul Islam Bhuiyan, the public relations officer of DMTCL, told Prothom Alo shortly before 1 o’clock on Saturday that it has been decided to run the metro rail from Sunday. Preparations are underway accordingly. He said that DMTCL’s meeting with the Metrorail management team is going on. The final decision will be announced this afternoon.
On July 18, when the police box was set on fire at Mirpur-10 roundabout during the quota reform movement, the authorities stopped the movement of the metro rail at five in the afternoon that day. The next day, Mirpur-10 and Kazipara stations were vandalized.
After the formation of the new interim government, it was decided in a meeting of the advisory council on August 11 that the metro rail will be launched from August 17. Metrorail will run normally from Uttara to Motijheel. However, the train will not stop at Mirpur-10 and Kazipara stations for the time being. Because these two stations were damaged during the quota reform movement.
However, in a press release signed by DMTCL Secretary Mohammad Abdur Rauf on August 15, he said that it is not possible to start the Metrorail from August 17. It said, due to unavoidable reasons, the necessary technical tests could not be started yet.
DMTCL sources said recently that lines, coaches and signalling—all of Metrorail is fine. However, the reason why the metro rail did not start was due to the strike of downstream workers. Alleging that senior officials are taking extra benefits, Metro Rail employees went on strike. That is why the metro rail movement is stopped even though there is no technical problem.
DMTCL sources said that after discussions with the employees, they have been assured of meeting their demands.
On August 18, Road Transport and Bridges Ministry Advisor Fawzul Kabir Khan assured to start the metro rail within seven days. Metrorail employees joined work from August 20.
