The country’s capital will witness another metro line as the government has formulated a Tk 45,503.77 crore project to construct the Southern Route of Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-5, connecting the western and eastern parts of the capital through an environment-friendly mass transit system.
The project, titled “Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line-5): Southern Route,” is awaiting consideration and approval by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
Talking to BSS, a senior Planning Commission official said that the project is scheduled to be placed before the 3rd meeting of the ECNEC in this fiscal year (FY27) to be held on September 16 at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
ECNEC Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will chair the meeting.
Project Director of Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line-5), Southern Route Brigadier General (retd) Md Abdul Wohab told BSS here today that all the necessary formalities have been completed and the project will be placed before the next ECNEC meeting.
“Once implemented, the project will operate as an MRT corridor linking Gabtoli to Dasherkandi, providing mass rapid transit connectivity through Technical, Kallyanpur, Shyamoli, College Gate, Asad Gate, Sukrabad, Karwan Bazar, Hatirjheel, Tejgaon, Aftab Nagar, Aftab Nagar Centre, Aftab Nagar East and Nasirabad,” he said.
The DMTCL will implement the project under the Road Transport and Highways Division of the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry. The proposed implementation period runs from September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2033.
Of the total estimated cost, Tk 15,197.66 crore will come from the government, while Tk 30,306.10 crore will come as project loans from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of South Korea.
The project will include construction of the main MRT line and stations, depot civil and building works, electrical and mechanical systems, railway systems, rolling stock and depot equipment. It will also provide the supporting infrastructure required for operation, including utility relocation, consultancy services, land acquisition and rehabilitation.
The route will also connect with MRT Line-5 Northern Route and MRT Line-1, allowing passengers to interchange between the MRT corridors and reach different parts of Dhaka through an integrated mass transit network.
“Through implementation of the proposed project, connectivity between the north-south and east-west corridors of the capital will become easier, while Dhaka residents will get improved access to an environment-friendly transport system,” the Planning Commission said in its recommendation.
The Planning Commission said the interconnection with other MRT lines would allow passengers to travel to other corridors in less time and contribute to reducing traffic congestion.
The project has gone through several rounds of review. Initially, the Road Transport and Highways Division proposed it at Tk 54,618.96 crore for implementation from January 2024 to December 2030. A Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) meeting considered the proposal on April 23, 2024.
Following a review, the proposed cost came down to Tk 47,721.44 crore, with an implementation period from January 2025 to December 2031. Another PEC meeting considered the revised proposal on February 17, 2025.
The project was later restructured with an estimated cost of Tk 47,644.81 crore. Following a review meeting on July 16, 2026, the government reduced the estimated cost by another Tk 2,141.04 crore to the current Tk 45,503.77 crore.
The largest allocation, Tk 17,737.43 crore (38.98 percent), will cover main-line civil and station works and depot civil and building works. Electrical and mechanical works and railway systems will cost Tk 13,258.49 crore (29.14 percent), while rolling stock and depot equipment will require Tk 4,821.24 crore (10.60 percent).
Land acquisition, reacquisition and rehabilitation will cost Tk 4,979.33 crore, or 10.94 percent of the total project cost.
The feasibility study, completed in October 2022 under an ADB-funded technical assistance programme, found the project technically, economically and environmentally feasible.
The economic analysis showed a positive NPV of Tk 35,161 crore, BCR of 2.41 and IRR of 18.8 percent, based on a 12 percent discount rate.
The Planning Commission recommended ECNEC approval, saying the project would expand environment-friendly public transport and help ease Dhaka’s traffic congestion.
“As the estimated cost of the project exceeds Tk 50 crore, it is eligible for approval by ECNEC under the relevant government guidelines,” said another Planning Commission official.