Contracts signed for four underground metro rail packages: tunnels to run Rampura-Notun Bazar and Nadda-Airport
Photo: Collected
Construction contracts have been signed for four important packages of MRT Line-1, the country’s first underground metro rail project, to expand the capital’s public transport network.
The contracts were signed this afternoon between Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) and the firms concerned in the conference room of the metro rail building at the MRT Line-6 depot area in Diabari, Uttara, in the capital.
The contracts will play an important role in developing the infrastructure of the country’s first underground metro rail project, being jointly financed by the Bangladesh government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Road Transport and Highways Division secretary Dr Mohammad Ziaul Haque was the chief guest at the event. Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi and JICA Bangladesh office chief representative Takahashi Junko were special guests. DMTCL managing director Md Shaogatul Alam gave the welcome speech.
In his speech as chief guest, secretary Dr Mohammad Ziaul Haque said reducing traffic congestion in the capital, saving travel time and ensuring modern, quality public transport services for citizens are among the government’s priorities. To this end, initiatives have been taken to build a safe, environment-friendly and timely urban public transport system, including expanding the metro rail network.
He said the implementation of MRT Line-1, the country’s first underground metro rail, will open a new horizon in the capital’s public transport. He thanked the Japanese government for its long-standing cooperation and JICA for its important contribution to the project and expressed gratitude.
Describing the signing of the four packages as a significant milestone in implementing MRT Line-1, the secretary congratulated the contracted firms. He also directed them to ensure maximum safety and quality in construction work in compliance with the country’s relevant laws, including the labour law.
Stressing completion of the work on schedule, he said the project must be finished on time so that the temporary hardship to ordinary people caused by the construction work is not prolonged.
He further said that alongside ensuring environmental protection during construction, the welfare of residents around the project area must be given top priority. For successful implementation, transparent, consistent and effective coordination and communication among the employer, engineers and contractors is essential.
In his speech as special guest, Japanese ambassador Saida Shinichi praised the long-standing friendly relations, mutual trust and development cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan. He especially thanked the Bangladesh government for the initiative to overcome the stalemate in the metro rail project and restart and speed up its implementation.
The ambassador said the cooperative relations between the two countries will continue in future. Japan is keen to stand by Bangladesh’s infrastructure development through mutual cooperation and partnership.
Work under the four packages
Contract package CP-04 (tunnel and station construction): a total of 4.447 kilometres of underground route will be built on MRT Line-1 from the northern end of Rampura underground station to Notun Bazar station.
Contract package CP-06 (tunnel and station construction): a total of 5.182 kilometres of underground route will be built on MRT Line-1 from the northern end of Nadda underground station to Airport station.
Contract package CP-09 (track and electrical systems): track works (rails, turnouts, points and crossings, etc) and electrical facilities will be installed on MRT Line-1.
Contract package CP-10 (signalling, telecommunication, platform screen doors and enterprise resource management system): MRT Line-1’s signalling system (communication-based automatic train control system), telecommunication system (optical fibre-based transmission network and LTE radio communication system), platform screen doors and enterprise resource management system (ERMS) will be installed.
Completion of the work under the four packages will bring significant progress in expanding the capital’s public transport infrastructure. It will also advance efforts to meet Dhaka’s growing travel demand, ease traffic pressure and build safe, reliable and environment-friendly public transport for citizens.
Senior officials involved in the project, representatives of consultancy firms and representatives of the contract-signing firms were present at the event.
Background
According to a bdnews24.com report of 17 April 2025, the total length of MRT Line-1 is 31.24 kilometres. Of this, 19.87 kilometres from Shahjalal International Airport to Kamalapur will run underground, while about 11.36 kilometres from Notun Bazar to Purbachal will run above ground. Work on the project began on 2 February 2023.
By the numbers
bdnews24.com reported on 2 February 2023 that the project cost was estimated at Tk 52,561.43 crore, with a target of completing the work in 2026.
According to an Ittefaq report of 31 August, a proposal to raise the initial cost of the two projects — MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 (North) — from Tk 93,800 crore to Tk 2,13,989 crore was awaiting approval from the Planning Commission.
Sources
Original report: BSS
Background sources: bdnews24.com, 17 April 2025; bdnews24.com, 2 February 2023; Ittefaq, 31 August 2026
