Over 40 percent of the construction for the Motijheel to Kamalapur section of the Dhaka Metro Rail project has been completed, with significant progress reported. The section, expected to commence operations by December 2025, is currently the focus of intense construction efforts. Specifically, 25 out of 30 pillars for the metro station have already been erected, and the remaining pillars are slated for rapid completion. To accommodate the metro rail construction, one lane of the Kamalapur-TT Para Road will remain closed for the next six months, according to the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL). DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique, while speaking to UNB, emphasised the active pace of construction at the Kamalapur Metro Station and the viaduct connecting Motijheel-Kamalapur. Construction commenced in March last year, and progress has been substantial, marking an overall completion rate of 40 percent for this crucial section, he said. Read more: New schedule for metro rail passengers from June 19 “To facilitate construction, traffic diversions are in place, with one side of the road temporarily closed. We anticipate reopening the road upon project completion,” said Siddique. Responding to queries on project timelines, Siddique expressed confidence, stating, “We aim to initiate metro rail operations on this segment by December 2025.” The ongoing construction spans 1.16 km up to Kamalapur, initially targeted for completion by June 2025, now extended to December. The metro rail project, Bangladesh’s first Mass Rapid Transit Line, spans an elevated route from Uttara-Diabari-Mirpur-Farmgate-Motijheel-Kamalapur, totaling 21.26 km. The initiative has entailed demolitions of residences and shops. Construction activities are well underway near Bangladesh Bank and Sena Kalyan Bhaban in the Motijheel area. “The Kamalapur section of MRT Line-6 has undergone extensive soil testing and construction of critical elements like pilings, pile caps, station columns, pier columns, and precast segments. A significant portion of these structures has been completed,” added the DMTCL MD. Read more: Budget 2024-25: Uncertainty surrounds VAT exemption for Metro Rail tickets Regarding the Kamalapur extension, Siddique highlighted, “More than 100 properties have been affected, but compensation measures are in place.” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the operation of the Uttara to Agargaon section of the Metro Rail on December 28, 2022. Looking ahead, the focus remains on meeting the December 2025 target for launching operations on the Motijheel-Kamalapur section of MRT Line-6, a landmark project set to transform urban mobility in Dhaka.

In a transformative leap towards modern urban transportation, Dhaka marked a significant milestone in December 2022 with the commencement of its metro rail era through the inauguration of MRT-6. This pioneering initiative has not only reshaped the city’s skyline but has also become an integral part of the daily lives of Dhaka dwellers. Commuters can easily travel by metro rail with a Single-Journey Ticket, MRT Pass, or Rapid Pass. Let’s learn how to buy metro rail passes and recharge them. Types of Metro Rail Tickets and Passes Metro rail commuters on Line-6 in Dhaka have three types of ticketing options tailored to suit passengers’ travel needs. The Single Journey Ticket offers a one-time journey for those who prefer occasional use of the metro rail. On the other hand, the MRT Pass and Rapid Pass cater to regular commuters, providing a convenient and cost-effective solution. The MRT Pass, a magnetic contactless Integrated Circuit Ticket, also known as a smart card, streamlines the ticketing process through technology. Notably, both the MRT Pass and the Rapid Pass come with a 30% discount compared to single-journey tickets, incentivizing commuters to opt for these efficient and economical alternatives. This not only enhances the overall travel experience but also encourages the widespread adoption of sustainable and advanced public transportation solutions in the bustling city of Dhaka. Read more: Dhaka Metro Rail's Agargaon-Motijheel part to be opened by PM on Nov 4 How to Buy Single-Journey Tickets For the convenience of metro rail users on Line-6 in Dhaka, single-journey tickets are accessible through two distinct channels. Passengers have the option to acquire these tickets manually by visiting ticket counters strategically located at various stations. This traditional approach allows individuals to interact with station staff and obtain their tickets in person.  In addition to the manual method, commuters also benefit from an automated and self-service alternative through Ticket Vending Machines (TVM). These user-friendly machines empower passengers to independently purchase their single journey tickets. Single tickets are valid till 12 pm on the day of ticket purchase. Read more: Metro rail runs for 12 hours- 8 am to 8 pm- from today How to Buy an MRT Pass and Recharge To acquire the convenience and benefits of an MRT Pass, passengers can exclusively obtain them from designated ticket counters located at metro rail stations. This pass is issued by the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL).  The process involves completing a registration form, which is downloadable from https://dmtcl.gov.bd/ as well as at stations.  After filling out the form, the user is required to submit it along with a payment of Tk 500. This payment covers the pass issuance and includes a refundable deposit of Tk 200. The user needs to carry a photocopy of his or her NID card while submitting the form. Read more: Metro Rail’s Mirpur-11, Kazipara stations now open to commuters

A protest strike shuttered businesses, schools and public transportation in a new blow to Haiti's anemic economy, and unions and other groups vowed to continue the shutdown Tuesday in anger over worsening crime as authorities try to rescue 17 kidnapped members of a U.S.-based missionary group. FBI agents and other U.S. officials are helping Haitian authorities hunt for the 12 adults and five children linked to the Christian Aid Ministries in Ohio who were kidnapped Saturday during a trip to visit an orphanage. It is the largest reported kidnapping of its kind in recent years, with Haitian gangs growing more brazen and abductions spiking as the country tries to recover from the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and a magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck southern Haiti on Aug. 14 and killed more than 2,200 people. “We are calling on authorities to take action,” said Jean-Louis Abaki, a moto taxi driver who joined the strike Monday to decry killings and kidnappings in the hemisphere's poorest nation. With the usually chaotic streets of Haiti’s capital quiet and largely empty, Abaki said that if Prime Minister Ariel Henry and National Police Chief Léon Charles want to stay in power, “they have to give the population a chance at security.” Haitian police told The Associated Press that the abduction of the 16 Americans and one Canadian was carried out by the 400 Mawozo gang, a group with a long record of killings, kidnappings and extortion. In April, a man who claimed to be the gang's leader told a radio station that it was responsible for abducting five priests, two nuns and three relatives of one of the priests that month. They were later released. Read:US, Haiti seek release of 17 missionaries snatched by gang At least 328 kidnappings were reported to Haiti’s National Police in the first eight months of 2021, compared with a total of 234 for all of 2020, said a report last month by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. Gangs have been accused of kidnapping schoolchildren, doctors, police officers, bus passengers and others as they grow more powerful and demand ransoms ranging from a couple hundred dollars to millions of dollars. Ned Price, the U.S. State Department's spokesman, said U.S. officials have been in constant contact with Haiti's National Police, the missionary group and the victims' relatives. “This is something that we have treated with the utmost priority since Saturday,” he said, adding that officials are doing “all we can to seek a quick resolution to this.” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the rise in gang violence has affected relief efforts in Haiti. He said the U.N. resident and humanitarian coordinator reported that “violence, looting, road blockades and the persistent presence of armed gangs all pose obstacles to humanitarian access. The situation is further complicated by very serious fuel shortages and the reduced supply of goods." Dujarric said that Haiti's government should redouble efforts to reform and strengthen the police department to address public safety and that all crimes must be investigated. Christian Aid Ministries said the kidnapped group included six women, six men and five children, including a 2-year-old. A sign on the door at the organization’s headquarters in Berlin, Ohio, said it was closed due to the kidnapping situation. Among those kidnapped were four children and one of their parents from a Michigan family, their pastor told The Detroit News. The youngest from the family is under 10, said minister Ron Marks, who declined to identify them. They arrived in Haiti earlier this month, he said. A pair of traveling Christians stopped by the organization’s headquarters Monday with two young children to drop off packages for impoverished nations. Tirtzah Rarick, originally of California, said she and a friend prayed on Sunday with those who had relatives among the abductees. “Even though it’s painful and it provokes us to tears that our friends and relatives, our dear brothers and sisters, are suffering right now in a very real physical, mental and emotional way, it is comforting to us that we can bring these heavy burdens to the God that we worship,” she said. Read: US religious group says 17 missionaries kidnapped in Haiti News of the kidnappings spread swiftly in and around Holmes County, Ohio, hub of one of the nation’s largest populations of Amish and conservative Mennonites, said Marcus Yoder, executive director of the Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center in nearby Millersburg, Ohio. Christian Aid Ministries is supported by conservative Mennonite, Amish and related groups in the Anabaptist tradition. The organization was founded in the early 1980s and began working in Haiti later that decade, said Steven Nolt, professor of history and Anabaptist studies at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. The group has year-round mission staff in Haiti and several countries, he said, and it ships religious, school and medical supplies throughout the world. Conservative Anabaptists, while disagreeing over technology and other issues, share traditions such as modest, plain clothing, separation from mainstream society, closely disciplined congregations and a belief in nonresistance to violence. The Amish and Mennonite communities in Holmes County have a close connection with missionary organizations serving Haiti. Every September at the Ohio Haiti Benefit Auction, handmade furniture, quilts, firewood and tools are sold, and barbecue chicken and Haitian beans and rice are dished up. The event typically brings in about $600,000 that is split between 18 missionary groups, said Aaron Miller, one of the organizers.