Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the vandalized Mirpur-10 metro rail station this morning.

She inspected various parts of the station damaged during the recent unrest related to the student movement for quota reform in public service.

Senior officials from the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) briefed the Prime Minister on the extent of the damage and the plans to reopen the Mirpur-10 and Kazipara stations.

On Friday, unknown individuals caused significant damage to the Mirpur-10 and Kazipara metro stations.

Later metro rail services were suspended on July 18 due to student protests demanding quota reform in public service.

According to DMTCL officials, the reopening schedule would be announced after the inquiry committee, formed to assess the damage, submits its report within 10 working days.

The inquiry committee, led by Additional Secretary Mohammad Zakaria, who is also the additional director of the metro rail MRT Line-6 project, was formed on July 22.

The metro station was opened to the public on March 1, 2023, nearly two months after the inauguration of the country's first metro rail.

The main construction of the project began in 2017, with the total cost reaching Tk 33,472 crore. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) provided Tk 19,719 crore as a loan, while the Government of Bangladesh funded the remainder.

Initially, the estimated cost of the project was Tk 21,000 crore, but it increased due to the construction of an additional 1.6 km section from Motijheel to Kamalapur, acquisition of new land for each station, and the addition of various new facilities.

The Prime Minister officially inaugurated the Uttara-Agargaon section of the MRT-6 line on December 28, 2022.

BDST: 1335 HRS, JULY 25, 2024
SMS