Puran Dhaka will get priority when connecting to the metro rail

The Planning Commission is focusing on the MRT Line-2 Narayanganj route over MRT Line-5 to improve metro rail connectivity to Puran Dhaka. The proposed MRT Line-2 would run from Gabtoli to Narayanganj, serving a larger population. The commission also considers several other metro routes and hints that the MRT Line-5 project could be partially implemented or completely canceled. The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited estimates the cost of the 35-km MRT Line-2 to be around Tk60,837 crore. The Asian Development Bank and South Korea have committed Tk39,138 crore in funding, with the remaining Tk15,481 crore expected to come from the government. Alternative proposals include scrapping the Gabtoli to Kawran Bazar section of MRT Line-2, adding a branch line to Bijoy Sarani, building MRT Line-5 from Kawran Bazar to Dasherkandi, or delaying the entire project until economic conditions improve.