MRT Line-5 North to launch by 2032 under revised Dhaka Metro plan

While existing operations on the 20-kilometer MRT Line-6 currently connect Uttara to Motijheel, expanding the network remains critical to managing severe traffic congestion across the 305-square-kilometer capital.

Country’s first underground metro project, MRT Line-1, connecting Dhaka Airport to Kamalapur, received a revised budget approval of ৳1,14,394 crore, marking a 117.64 percent cost increase from its initial 2019 estimation.

Supported by a ৳83,842 crore soft loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), completion has been rescheduled to 2033. The 21-station route includes 12 underground stations and seven elevated stations, with an estimated daily capacity of 800,000 passengers.

The revised cost for the 20-kilometer MRT Line-5 (North) route running from Hemayetpur to Vatara stands at ৳89,848 crore, up from ৳41,238 crore. Japan will provide ৳67,518 crore in financing, while the government contributes ৳22,330 crore. 

Featuring 13.5 kilometers of underground track and 6.5 kilometers of elevated rail across 14 stations, this line is projected to launch by December 2032, serving approximately 1.23 million commuters daily.

ECNEC also sanctioned the newly proposed 17.2-kilometer MRT Line-5 (South) project running from Gabtoli to Dasherkandi at an estimated cost of ৳45,503 crore. Financed jointly by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), South Korea, and the Bangladesh government, the route comprises 13.1 kilometers of underground and 4.15 kilometers of elevated tracks. Construction is slated to run from September 2026 to August 2033, with an anticipated daily ridership of 924,000 passengers.

State Minister for Planning Md. Jonaed Saki stated during a press briefing that rapid urbanization necessitates expanding modern mass transport beyond current projects, confirming government plans to build additional metro lines across greater Dhaka and surrounding regions.

Addressing the structural scale of these investments, transport experts raised important considerations regarding procurement models and ongoing operational expenses. Prof. Dr. Md. Hadiuzzaman of BUET's Civil Engineering Department noted that project designs reliant on specialized Japanese patents tend to limit competitive bidding processes primarily to Japanese contractors.

He emphasized the necessity of analyzing procurement costs alongside future operational overheads, as underground systems demand continuous power for artificial lighting, ventilation, and mechanical infrastructure.

In response, senior planning ministry officials emphasized the overarching socio-economic benefits of underground mass transit, asserting that long-term economic gains and traffic relief outweigh operational costs as Dhaka transitions toward an efficient urban transit network.