Metro Karwan Bazar, Shahbagh stations to open on 31 Dec

The two last stations of the Dhaka metro line 6 – Karwan Bazar and Shahbagh – will open to passengers on 31 December, connecting all 16 stations between Diabari and Motijheel, according to the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd.

"The metro train will stop at Shahbagh and Karwan Bazar stations from 31 December," said MAN Siddique, the managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company, at a news briefing at the company's Eskaton office in the capital on Thursday.

Siddique added that starting next March, the Agargaon-Motijheel train will extend its service hours and operate until night, similar to the Diabari-Agargaon section. It now has service hours from 8am to 12:30pm.

Currently, 1.30 lakh to 1.50 lakh people are commuting daily via the metro.

Siddique said a letter has been sent to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, banning the flying of sky lanterns within a 1km radius of the metro rail on the 31st night, to avoid any untoward incidents during festivities.

The Dhaka Mass Transit Company started operations in the Dhaka University and Bijoy Sarani stations on 13 December.

Before that, on 4 November, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the second phase of the metro rail's Agargaon to Motijheel segment.

After the inauguration of the Agargaon-Motijheel section, the metro rail stops at Farmgate, Secretariat and Motijheel stations.

On the Uttara-Motijheel route, the metro runs daily from 7:30am to 11:30am. However, two metro trains run from Uttara North at 7:10am and 7:20am for the convenience of students and professionals. Only MRT Pass and Rapid Pass holders can travel in these two trains.

After 11:30am, the metro rail movement remains stopped on the Motijheel-Agargaon route, while it is operational till 8:30pm on the Uttara-Agargaon section.