Dhaka’s metro rail, which has quickly become one of the capital’s most popular modes of transport, is set to introduce 10 additional trips soon. Under the new plan, trains will begin operating earlier in the morning and continue past 10 PM, aiming to meet the ever-increasing demand from passengers. The initiative is being implemented by Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL).
Currently, the metro rail operates around 200 trips daily, carrying between 350,000 to 400,000 passengers. On special occasions, ridership crosses 450,000. However, due to the limited number of seats and coaches, accommodating more passengers at the same time has not been possible.
According to DMTCL sources, under the revised schedule, the first train will depart at 6:30 AM, while the last train will run after 10 PM. This expansion is expected to allow an additional 23,000 passengers to travel daily.
Transport experts, however, argue that instead of simply adding more trips, the priority should be on increasing the number of coaches. They pointed out that although platforms were originally designed to handle 8-coach trains, the expansion has not yet been implemented due to various technical and financial reasons. Experts also warned that running more trips will sharply raise electricity consumption and operating costs.
DMTCL officials stated that the proposal is still under study, but if all goes as planned, the new schedule on MRT Line-6 will be implemented soon.