Staff Correspondent

Dhaka’s fastest public transport, the Metro rail, is now operational on Fridays, offering a new weekend option for city commuters. Although the service runs for limited hours, from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm, the move has been well-received by passengers.

The first train of the day departed from Uttara North station at 3:30 pm, heading towards Motijheel. Similarly, the first train from Motijheel left at 3:50 pm for Uttara North.

Since Friday is a weekly holiday, there were very few office commuters. Most passengers were families and leisure travellers enjoying a ride with their children. By the afternoon, every train was packed with enthusiastic passengers, thrilled to experience the metro ride.

Azizul Islam, a passenger at Dhaka University station, said, “I brought my kids for a metro ride on the holiday. I usually do not get time during the week because of work. The kids were so happy, and we had a great time without the hassle of traffic.”

In addition, Kazipara Station, which had been closed for a long time, reopened on Friday. However, the station saw fewer passengers, and some equipment was still not fully operational.

Masud Rana, a regular commuter, expressed relief at the reopening, “I live near Kazipara, and I often need to travel to Karwan Bazar. With the station closed, it was a hassle. Now that it is open again, it is much more convenient for me.”

The Friday metro schedule is as follows: Trains from Uttara North to Motijheel run from 3:30 pm to 9:00 pm, while trains from Motijheel to Uttara North operate from 3:50 pm to 9:40 pm. The interval between trains varies from eight to 12 minutes.