Bangladesh’s first urban high-speed railroad, Dhaka Metro Line 6, partially opened.
On December 28, 2022, the partial opening ceremony of Dhaka Metro Line 6 (Uttra North – Agargaon section), the first urban rapid transit (metro) line in Bangladesh, was held in Dhaka. Dhaka Metro Line 6 is an elevated line of approximately 21 km in length with 17 stations, connecting the center of Dhaka from north to south, with 9 stations (Uttra North – Agargaon section) of approximately 12 km in length now in operation (*1).
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, Mr. Khader, Minister of Road Transport and Bridges, Mr. Nuri, Undersecretary of Road Transport Department, Mr. Siddiqui, President of Dhaka Urban Transport Company, and others from the Bangladesh government, and Ambassador Iwama and Mr. Ichiguchi, JICA Bangladesh Office Director from Japan, along with officials from Japanese companies that were contracted to construct this project. The first station, Uttra, is the main station in Bangladesh. After the unveiling of the monument by the Prime Minister, speeches by Bangladeshi government officials, Ambassador Iwama, and Director Ichiguchi, and the announcement of the 50-taka banknote and stamp commemorating the opening of the new line, the main participants including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina boarded the train from Uttra North Station to Agargaon Station, the last stop of the partially opened section. The train ride took about an hour and a half. In her speech, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her expectations for the opening of the country’s first metro, her intention to never forget the terrorist attack on Dhaka in 2016 (*2) and to commemorate the victims, and her gratitude for the cooperation of Japan.
For this line, Japanese companies have received orders for the manufacture and delivery of rolling stock, which is the face of the railroad, land development for rail yards, major works and station construction on the main line, and the supply of major equipment such as signaling and ticket gate systems. The standard system is based on Japanese railroad technology, and the rolling stock is modeled after Japanese commuter trains. In addition, the same contactless IC card technology system as SUICA and PASMO has been introduced, allowing passengers to board the trains using transportation IC cards issued by related organizations. In addition to these examples, Japan has been cooperating in a variety of areas, including organizational structure, legislation, safe operation, and technical cooperation in the development of station areas.
(*1) To avoid confusion immediately after the opening of the service, the hours of operation, the number of passengers, and the number of stations to be served will be limited for the time being.
(*2) An attack terrorist incident in Dhaka city on July 1, 2016, in which several foreigners, including Japanese nationals, were killed. Those involved in the urban rail project in Dhaka were involved.
Since December 29, when the line opened to the public, many people have visited the stations, purchased tickets from ticket machines, etc., and boarded the trains, rejoicing at the opening of Bangladesh’s first metro line. One female passenger said, “I am glad that we now have a public transportation system that even women can use safely,” while another passenger in a wheelchair said, “I am very happy that we now have a public transportation system that can be used without any special support from other people. The line is equipped with elevators, automatic ticket gates wide enough for wheelchairs to pass through, Braille blocks, priority seating for the elderly, women-only cars, and other facilities to ensure safe and secure access for all passengers.
© Source JICA