Bangladesh’s ambitious Tk1.47-trillion plan to expand Dhaka’s metro rail network has stalled due to administrative delays and unresolved issues with the operational MRT Line 6, insiders have revealed.

Despite launching the first phase of MRT 6, running from Uttara to Motijheel, plans for new lines—MRT 1, MRT 5 North, and MRT 5 South—have failed to progress over the past year. Officials attribute the deadlock to irregularities in Line 6’s implementation, including outdated signalling systems and blocked passenger gates incompatible with modern ticketing options.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL), the sole agency managing the metro system, has faced criticism for inadequate technical expertise and reliance on retired bureaucrats. “Not a single contract or decision has been finalised in a year,” said one official, citing repeated board rejections of key tenders.

MRT 1’s underground contract package, critical to construction, was sent back again for review in early June. MRT 5 North is reportedly “in good shape,” according to DMTCL’s new Managing Director Faruque Ahmed, who took office earlier this year, while MRT 5 South awaits cost revision approval.

Transport experts warn the problems stem from a lack of skilled personnel and rushed decisions. “Metro development demands precision and expertise at every level,” said Prof Mohammad Shamsul Hoque of BUET, who was removed from the DMTCL board under controversial circumstances.

With 128.7 km of metro network planned by DMTCL, the project’s success now hinges on overcoming bureaucratic inertia and restoring technical accountability.