Lifeline: Dhaka Metro resumes service after more than 30 days, commuters heave sigh of relief
Dhaka (PTI): The Dhaka Metro resumed services on Sunday over a month after it was shut for passengers during the unprecedented anti-government protests in Bangladesh with two of its stations bearing the brunt of vandalism.
These two stations—Mirpur-10 and Kazipara—will however remain closed, according to an official notification.
Commuters, especially students and office-goers, heaved a sigh of relief as they had to travel through Dhaka’s notorious traffic congestions daily to reach their destinations.
According to the official notification, the services resumed in the morning around 7 am.
Mirpur-10 and Kazipara stations were vandalised in July during the anti-government protests. The Dhaka Metro services were shut for passengers in the third week of July and coupled with choc-a-bloc streets due to protests had nearly paralysed the public transportation system in the capital.
Many commuters who otherwise were using cab services or autorickshaws for travelling to university and other areas on Sunday used the metro after a gap of over five weeks.
Dhaka Metro, whose current network spans from Uttara North to Motijheel, is operated by the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL).
“We are planning to make the metro rail infrastructure a key point installation with enhanced security for its protection from any kind of vandalism,” Road Transport and Communication Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said.
Khan said the interim government also plans to declare metro rail operations as an essential service to prevent any disruption in the service. He travelled between Agargon station and Bangladesh Secretariat station in the metro.
A Dhaka High Court official told PTI that he used the metro on Sunday to travel to his office, and the resumption of services has come as a big relief for daily commuters like him.
On December 28, 2022, Bangladesh launched its first metro rail service with Japanese assistance to ease commuting in the capital Dhaka, one of the most congested cities in the world.
Called Dhaka MRT Line 6, it initially operated on an 11.73-km section from Uttara North to Agargaon, consisting of nine stations. The then prime minister Sheikh Hasina had inaugurated the project.
In November 2023, the section from Agargaon to Motijheel having eight stations and spanning 9.53 km, was inaugurated by Hasina.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is working on the Dhaka Metro project (three lines) as a consultant, with varying degrees of involvement, a senior official of the DMRC had earlier said.
Besides the presently operational Line 6, DMRC is involved as a consultant for Line 5 North and Line 1 in the Dhaka Metro project.
“About 10 DMRC employees were posted in Dhaka as part of the metro project there. They have all returned safely to India,” a senior official of the DMRC said in response to a PTI query.
A large number of Indian nationals have returned to India from Bangladesh since the protests began on July 1.
The unprecedented anti-government protests reached a crescendo on August 5. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India on that day, even as protesters had termed the fall of the government and her departure a “day of victory”.
Asked if the DMTCL has approached the DMRC to send consultants for the ongoing or planned construction works, the senior official said the DMRC officials are “extending the necessary cooperation as per the terms and conditions of our engagement”.
“However, any decision regarding the return of the employees will be taken as per the advisories issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs,” he added.
Asked if the DMRC is remotely monitoring the project in the absence of physical presence of its employees and experts on the ground in Dhaka, the official said, “Yes, currently, the DMRC officials engaged with the Dhaka Metro project are extending the necessary cooperation through online mode.”
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Cummins doubtful for T20 World Cup? It's quite grey right now, says Aus head coach
Melbourne (PTI): Australia skipper Pat Cummins' chances of playing at next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka are "quite grey at the moment" as he battles a back stress issue that has affected his participation in the ongoing Ashes series against England.
Cummins returned to play the third Ashes Test in Adelaide after missing the opening two matches, picking up six wickets to help Australia clinch the series 3-0.
However, the Australian Test and ODI skipper will take no further part in the series and even his participation at the T20 World Cup is also uncertain. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh is Australia's T20I captain.
"Looking forward to the World Cup, whether he will be there or not, I can't really say. It's quite grey at the moment. We're hopeful," head coach Andrew McDonald was quoted as saying by 'ESPNCricinfo'.
The fast bowler was diagnosed with a lumbar stress reaction during Australia's tour of the West Indies in July. He underwent rehabilitation before being cleared for a carefully managed return in Adelaide.
"He's pulled up fine. He won't play any part in the rest of the series and that was a discussion that we had a long time out around his return," McDonald said.
"We were taking on some risk and people that reported on that would understand the risk associated with that rebuild. We've now won the series and that was the goal.
"So, to position him for further risk and jeopardise him long-term is not something that we want to do and Pat's really comfortable with that," he added.
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to begin on February 7 across India and Sri Lanka with the summit clash set for March 8.
Australia's first match is on February 11 against Ireland at Colombo. Although Cummins captains the Test and ODI teams, all-rounder Mitch Marsh leads Australia in the shortest format.
