Metrorail services partially resume, Agargaon to Motijheel section closed

Metrorail services have resumed from Uttara Diabari to Agargaon, but the Agargaon to Motijheel section remains closed due to a fallen bearing pad, according to Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Managing Director Faruk Ahmed. 

The incident occurred around 12:15 pm on Sunday in Farmgate, Dhaka, resulting in the death of pedestrian Abul Kalam Azad (40) from Shariatpur, who was struck by the 140-150 kg bearing pad and died from severe bleeding. 

His body was taken to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital.

Faruk Ahmed stated that repairs cannot proceed without specialised equipment, delaying services in the affected section. He estimated a resumption within two to three hours. 

Road Transport Adviser Muhammad Fauzul Kabir Khan, visiting the hospital after 3 pm, confirmed the Uttara-Agargaon section is operational but noted that repairs and testing are needed for the remaining section to ensure safety, requiring a crane.

Metro services were suspended from 12:30 pm due to the technical failure. DMTCL apologised for the inconvenience on its Facebook page, citing a mechanical malfunction and urging passenger cooperation. 

This is the second such incident, following a similar bearing pad failure on September 18 last year, which halted services for 11 hours, raising ongoing safety concerns.

Bearing pads, used to reduce pillar vibration, are critical to the metro’s infrastructure. Since its launch on December 28, 2022, the metrorail, connecting Uttara to Motijheel, has served 157.5 million passengers as of June, making it a vital part of Dhaka’s public transport system.