The cost of two new metro rail projects in the capital has risen to more than double that of the Uttara–Motijheel Metro Rail. While the Uttara–Motijheel line cost Tk 1,574 crore per kilometer, the new projects are estimated at Tk 3,618 crore per kilometre. The total approved cost now stands at Tk 184,500 crore.
Key Project Details
- MRT Line-1: Kamalapur to Airport (31 km)
- MRT Line-5 (North): Hemayetpur–Mirpur–Gulshan–Bhatara (20 km)
According to Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), limited competition in the tender process is the primary reason behind the cost escalation. Contractor participation has largely been restricted to Japanese firms, in line with loan conditions set by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), giving preference to Japanese companies.
Cost Breakdown
Uttara–Motijheel (Extended to Kamalapur)
- Length: 21.26 km
- Total cost: Tk 33,472 crore
MRT Line-1
- Approved: December 2019
- Initial cost: Tk 52,561 crore
- Revised (based on contractor bids): Tk 96,500 crore
MRT Line-5 (North)
- Approved: October 2019
- Initial cost: Tk 41,238 crore
- Revised (based on contractor bids): Tk 88,000 crore
DMTCL noted that Bangladesh’s metro construction costs are significantly higher compared to similar projects in India, where per kilometre expenses range between:
- Tk 150–450 crore per kilometre
Official Warnings & Expert Opinion
DMTCL has cautioned that abnormal contractor pricing and limited tender competition have driven up costs, particularly in the Mirpur–Kachukhet and Kachukhet–Bhatara sections. The agency emphasized that open competition in tenders is essential to control expenses.
Professor Shamsul Haque of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) said:
“Costs have increased due to a lack of competition in contractor selection.”
He added:
“The new government’s key task will be to renegotiate loan conditions to reduce project expenses.”
Ahead of the national parliamentary election, BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman announced that if elected, his party would introduce monorail services in Dhaka alongside metro rail expansion. Observers say the new government will need to make swift decisions regarding contractor selection, competition, and loan conditions to manage rising infrastructure costs.
