Metro rail service disrupted briefly at Farmgate station

A train on the Uttara-to-Motijheel route of the Dhaka Metro Rail came to an unexpected halt at Farmgate Station on Monday morning, causing brief panic and inconvenience among passengers. The disruption occurred around 9:20 AM due to a mechanical malfunction.

According to witnesses, shortly after crossing Bijoy Sarani intersection, the train's lights and air conditioning systems suddenly shut down. Despite the issues, the train continued to Farmgate Station, where it stopped completely. With no immediate announcements from the authorities, many passengers disembarked and left the station on foot.

“A strange sound came from the train as we passed Bijoy Sarani, then the lights and AC went off,” said a passenger who boarded from Mirpur. “It reached Farmgate, but didn’t move after that. We waited, but nothing was announced.”

The service resumed after approximately five to six minutes.

Later in the morning, a passenger named Fahim Foraezi shared a video on Facebook in the 'Metro Rail Passenger Community' group, highlighting recurring technical issues on the line. In his post, he mentioned experiencing similar disruptions in the past, including sudden braking and system failures.

“Today’s incident is on video. I won’t comment—just listen to what the passengers are saying,” he wrote, expressing frustration with previous dismissals of such complaints on social media.

When contacted, Md. Ahsanullah Sharifi, Deputy Project Director and Public Relations Officer of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), confirmed the cause of the disruption.

“There was a brief stoppage at Farmgate Station due to a mechanical fault,” he said. “It was resolved quickly, and the train resumed operation within five minutes.”

DMTCL has yet to release an official statement on the frequency of such issues or measures being taken to prevent future occurrences.