The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) will conduct an independent safety audit and a comprehensive operation and maintenance (O&M) review of the metro rail system following recent accidents and service issues.

Managing Director Faruque Ahmed announced the decision at a press conference in Dhaka on Monday, days after a bearing pad fell from the MRT-6 line near Farmgate on October 25, killing a pedestrian.

Ahmed blamed the consultant, contractors, and former DMTCL management for procedural lapses before the metro’s commissioning.

He said that design faults might have contributed to the accident and confirmed that both a government committee and DMTCL’s internal team were investigating the incident.

The DMTCL chief said the metro was launched without a formal safety audit due to the absence of such an agency in Bangladesh, noting that the Government Inspector of Railways performs similar roles for traditional rail systems.

Ahmed said future MRT projects would undergo design reviews to avoid the flaws seen in MRT-6. “Public safety is the first priority for us now,” he told reporters, adding that DMTCL would focus on staff training and skill development.

He also revealed that while two international firms had offered unsolicited proposals, the company plans to invite open tenders for the audits.