Construction begins for Bangladesh's first underground Dhaka Metro Line 1

(Image Copyright: Metro Rail Today)

Dhaka, Bangladesh (Metro Rail Today): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated construction work of country's first underground metro line (Dhaka MRT Line 1) on 2nd February 2023 at Purbachal in Sector 4.

The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd had signed a contract with a seven member consortium led by Nippon Koei in October 2022. 

The US$5.2bn (Taka 525.6bn) Dhaka Metro Line 1 Project will be the biggest infrastructure project in the Bangladesh's urban transport sector, which will have a 19.87km underground section from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Kamalapur railway station, and an 11.36km branch from Natun Bazar to Purbachal Terminal that will be mainly elevated.

Out of Taka 131.1bn of the project cost is to be provided by the Bangladesh government while the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide Taka 394.5bn as a soft loan under an agreement signed between JICA and Bangladesh Government in July 2022.

According to M A N Siddique, Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company (DMTCL), the Dhaka MRT Line 1 project will be completed by the end of 2026.

He said that when Line 1 is completed, journeys from the Airport to Kamalapur will take just over 24 minutes, including stops at 12 stations, while those from Natun Bazar to Purbachal will take around 20 minutes, with stops at seven stations. The Natun Bazar will be an interchange station between both sections of MRT Line 1 and MRT Line 5’s Northern Route, which is due to open in 2028.

“A total of six metro rail routes will be inaugurated in the capital city Dhaka by 2030. This includes the second phase of Line 6, due to open this year, and Line 2 which is due to open in 2030. Line 4 is also scheduled to open in 2030, while the Northern Route of Line 5 is expected to open in 2028 and the Southern Route in 2030," said Siddique.

Recently, the Bangladesh Government has launched first phase of Dhaka MRT Line 6 on December 28, 2022. This line is considered as first metro rail system of the country.