“...
The strategic goal of
Regd. No. DA 781
METRO MOMENT
is finally here
PM to flag off train service at 11:00am today
METRO RAIL
CHRONICLE
DECEMBER 2012
Ecnec approves MRT
Line-6 project
FEBRUARY 2013
Loan agreement signed
with Jica for MRT Line-6
JUNE 2013
Dhaka Mass Transit
Company Ltd (DMTCL)
formed
OCTOBER 2013
PM Hasina lays
foundation stone
SEE MORE ON PAGE 2
Mariam to
operate the
first metro
train
UNB, Dhaka
As the nation’s much-
awaited first metro rail
is scheduled to start
operation partially in the
capital (Uttara-Agargaon
portion) today, Mariam
Afiza will emerge as the
first metro train operator
of the Mass Rapid Transit
line-6.
Six women have been
appointed as metro rail
operators among others,
and Dhaka Mass Transit
SEE PAGE 2 COL 4
SECOND EDITION the United States and its
Nato allies is to defeat
Russia on the battlefield
as a mechanism for
significantly weakening
or even destroying our
country.”
Russia’s FM Sergei Lavrov
DHA K A W EDNES DAY DECEMBER 28 , 2022 Plus 8-Page Special Supplement on Dhaka Metro Rail
Vol. XXXII No. 337 Poush 13, 1429 BS Jamadius Sani 3, 1444 Hijri 16 Pages : Tk 15.00
BY-POLLS TO 6 SEATS RANGPUR MAYORAL ELECTION
AL likely
to give JP JP’s Mostafa wins, AL
‘walkover’
PARTHA PRATIM
BHATTACHARJEE and
polls only 8pc
RASHIDUL HASAN
KONGKON KARMAKER, QUAMRUL ISLAM
RUBAIYAT, and S DILIP ROY
Mostafizar, running with JP’s symbol of
With the BNP out of the “plough”, got 146,798 votes and his closest
equation, the competition rival, Bangladesh Islami Andolon nominee
Jatiya Party’s Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa Amiruzzaman Pial, got 49,892, said
was supposed to be was reelected Rangpur mayor while the Returning Officer Abdul Baten early today.
between the ruling ruling Awami League candidate, in the Local AL leader Latifur Rahman
Awami League and main fourth position,
opposition Jatiya Party. Milan got 33,833
managed to bag only votes, considerably
But it seems the AL 8 percent of the vote
wants to gain some more than Dalia’s
in the city corporation 22,306, according to
political mileage by not polls yesterday.
participating in the by- information provided
This will be by Baten at Rangpur
elections to six of the Mostafizar’s second
Shilpakala Academy.
constituencies that fell win in the Rangpur
vacant with the resignation Five others ran for
City Corporation mayor in the city.
of the BNP MPs. election.
The AL may not There are 426,470 voters in the city, and
AL candidate Hosne Ara Lutfa Dalia got the turnout was 65.91 percent, Baten said
nominate anyone to run
for any of the seats, but
fewer votes than a local AL leader who ran while reading out the results from the 229
as an independent. SEE PAGE 2 COL 5
it also won’t stop any of
its leaders from running
as independents, insiders
said, referring to decisions
PHOTO: PRABIR DAS made by the AL high
command.
The metro station in the capital’s Agargaon is all ready for Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina’s arrival after she inaugurates metro service today. AL President Sheikh
Hasina hinted that this
would be the party’s
TUHIN SHUBHRA ADHIKARY and WASIM BIN HABIB stance in Monday night’s
presidium meeting,
Bangladesh enters a new era in communication today with the launch of its first
metro rail, promising fast, reliable, and safe commute in a traffic-choked Dhaka.
sources said.
“By-polls to the six
The new mode of public transport comes at a time when buses, autorickshaws,
rickshaws, and taxis failed to meet the service quality desired by more than 20
constituencies will be free
and fair. In doing so, we
million in the city. want to show that free,
Dhaka, which grew exponentially over the years, earned notoriety for its fair and credible polls are
unbridled traffic congestion caused by poorly managed rickety public vehicles possible under the current
and inefficient traffic management. government,” said an AL
The metro rail, albeit a heavy investment project, is expected to help ease the leader, wishing anonymity.
perennial problems of congestion and pollution. Besides, the ruling party
Metro rail is finally ready to serve the city dwellers, overcoming myriad wants to demonstrate that
challenges, it doesn’t want to grab
i n c l u d i n g the parliament seats left
frequent changes vacant by the BNP leaders.
in the design Above all, the leadership
right from the believes that letting the
beginning. Jatiya Party have those
Besides, the Holey seats will enable the AL to
Artisan café keep JP in its fold.
attack in 2016 The JP, now the main
and the pandemic opposition in parliament,
also caused major was in an electoral alliance
setbacks to the with the AL before the 2018
project. national election.
Hundreds of experts, engineers and workers toiled to make the project and But things appeared
the grand opening a success. to have soured since
The city dwellers, who endured immense sufferings due to the construction several JP leaders started
work, are excited and curious to see the roll-out of the highly technical transport continuously criticising
system. what they say are
Bangladesh is the third country in South Asia to have metro rail after India government misrule a few
and Pakistan. India introduced its first 3.4km underground metro rail in Kolkata months ago.
in 1984 while Pakistan launched its mostly-elevated metro line in Lahore in Top JP top leaders said
October 2020. the party was no longer a
SEE PAGE 2 COL 1 SEE PAGE 7 COL 5