In a significant boost for Dhaka’s urban transit expansion, the World Bank has expressed formal interest in financing the city’s second major metro rail project, MRT Line-2, planned to connect Gabtoli and Demra. A high-level delegation from the institution is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka to initiate detailed discussions on the project’s feasibility study, design, financing framework, and tender processes, marking a pivotal step toward making the line a reality.
The initiative is being managed by the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL). As a first phase, the World Bank is prepared to provide a $2.5 million grant dedicated to the technical groundwork, including the comprehensive feasibility study, detailed design preparation, and tender documentation. This preparatory work will ultimately determine the full scale and cost of the construction project.
The planned MRT Line-2 represents a revised and more focused alignment from earlier proposals. Initially envisioned as a 35-kilometer route extending to Narayanganj Sadar, the current plan, as per the updated strategic transport plan, sets the route at 23.5 kilometers. The line is designed to traverse key areas of the city, starting at Gabtoli and passing through major hubs such as Mohammadpur, Science Lab, New Market, Azimpur, Lalbagh, Chawkbazar, and Mitford before terminating in Demra. This development signals a major advancement in Dhaka’s public transportation network, building upon the operational success of the first metro line and leveraging international partnership to address the city’s chronic traffic congestion.
