Govt. Forms 5-Member Committee to Probe Metro Rail Incident

The government today formed a five-member committee to investigate the Metrorail incident that killed a pedestrian at Farmgate and announced compensation for the victim’s family.

Adviser for Road Transport and Bridges Fouzul Kabir Khan said the committee, headed by Bridges Division Secretary Abdur Rouf, has been asked to submit its report within two weeks.

He said experts from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) have been included in the committee to conduct a technical and engineering review of the metro rail system.

This was the second such incident in almost the same location after a similar accident on September 18, 2024. Khan said the new committee would also review the previous investigation report.

After visiting the site, the adviser said the committee would prepare recommendations to prevent similar accidents in the future and identify those responsible.

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Defence and National Solidarity Development, Retired Lieutenant General Abdul Hafiz, accompanied the adviser during the visit.

Khan said the government would immediately provide Tk 5 lakh in compensation to the victim’s family and arrange employment for a qualified family member, if available, at Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL), the operator of the metro rail.

According to metro rail authorities, the accident occurred around 12:15 pm when a loosened bearing pad—used to absorb vibration during train movement—fell and instantly killed 35-year-old Abul Kalam.

Other committee members include BUET Mechanical Engineering Professor Dr ABM Toufiq Hasan, MIST Civil Engineering Associate Professor Lieutenant Colonel Md Zahidul Islam, and DMTCL Line-5 Project Director Retired Brigadier General Mohammad Abdul Wahab.

Road Transport Ministry Deputy Secretary Asfia Sultana will serve as the committee’s member-secretary.

The metro rail service from Uttara North to Agargaon resumed several hours after the accident, while operations on the remaining section remained suspended.