Bangladesh's 1st-ever metro to operate from Dec 28

Bangladesh's first-ever metro will begin commercial operations from December 28, an official announced in Dhaka.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will formally inaugurate the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT Line)-6 of the metro rail from the capital's Uttara to Agargaon area at a function on December 28," Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary ABM Amin Ullah Nuri told journalists.

He said that all sorts of construction works were completed and the MRT Line-6 was ready for commercial operation.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTC), a Bangladeshi state-owned enterprise is behind the 20.1-km metro, with work being carried out by domestic firms as well as Indian Thai, Chinese and Japanese companies.

Bangladesh borrowed funds from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to finance the metro rail project in stages.

The metro will eventually cover large parts of the capital city.

The first train made a trial run in August on a section of the line with 16 elevated stations.