Metro service won’t resume tomorrow

Metro rail operation will not resume tomorrow, as per the earlier announcement, as the authorities could not complete necessary technical tests.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL), the operating agency of metro rail, issued a press release in the regard last night.

It, however, did not mention when the service will resume.

Although the DMTCL did not state any reason, sources said the authorities failed to start the trial runs due to the ongoing work abstention by a group of DMTCL employees.

Operations of metro rail have remained suspended since July 18 amid violence centring the quota reform protest, which later turned into an uprising that toppled the Hasina-led government on August 5.

On July 19, attackers vandalised two metro stations — Mirpur-10 and Kazipara — halting the metro rail operations.

The government directed DMTCL on August 11 to complete necessary technical checks within seven days to resume the service.

However, the operation of the two stations will remain suspended until those are repaired.

On the same day, the advisory council of the interim government decided to resume metro rail service tomorrow.

“But due to unavoidable situation, it was not possible to start necessary technical checks,” reads the press release signed by Mohammad Abdur Rouf, company secretary of DMTCL.

“In this situation, it would not be possible to resume metro rail operation as per plan. DMTCL regrets for it cordially,” it added.

The Daily Star could not reach DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique and Abdur Rouf for comments over phone.

However, sources said the employees of grade 10 to 20 have been on strike since August 6 to press home their six-point demand, including pay hike.

The top officials of DMTCL and even the immediate past secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division talked to the employees and assured them of meeting the demands, but they refused to call off the strike, the sources said.

“So, the operation is not going to resume from Saturday [tomorrow],” an official said, wishing to be unnamed.

Responding to a query, the official said once the employees withdraw their work abstention, it would take at least five days to complete necessary preparation, so it is not possible to say when the metro rail operation will restart.