The Dhaka metro rail is set to resume operations as workers who had been on strike have now returned to their duties. The metro rail was initially scheduled to resume operations on Sunday after a month-long closure. However, the workers’ strike caused a delay in the reopening.
The workers resumed work on Tuesday, and the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), which operates the metro rail, plans to relaunch services within the next four to five days.
However, due to recent student protests that turned violent, the damaged Kazipara and Mirpur 10 stations will remain closed, according to DMTCL sources.
Earlier, on July 18, during a “Complete Shutdown” protest linked to the quota reform movement, a police box at the Mirpur 10 roundabout was set on fire, with the resulting smoke spreading to the metro rail. For public safety, metro rail operations were halted at 5:30 pm that day.
The following day, a weekly holiday, the metro rail remained closed. In the afternoon, vandals caused significant damage to the Kazipara and Mirpur 10 stations.
On August 8, more than 700 DMTCL workers from grades 10 to 20 held a human chain in Uttara, declaring a full strike to push for their six-point demand. The workers had been raising several demands, including a pay increase, since August 6.
On August 11, the government announced that metro rail operations would resume on August 17. Preparations were made accordingly, but the strike by DMTCL workers prevented the metro rail from operating that day.
After several meetings, the workers’ demands were met, and the authorities requested them to return to work.
