Metro rail yet to confirm how youth climbed onto train roof

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) is yet to determine how the young man, who was found on the rooftop of an MRT-6 train, managed to get up there, officials said on Monday.

Faruque Ahmed, managing director of DMTCL, said CCTV footage from various stations showed the youth at Agargaon and Karwan Bazar stations before he was finally traced when the train reached the Secretariat Station.

“Investigation is still going on. Our first initiative was to switch off electricity to ensure everyone’s safety,” he told reporters during the monthly briefing on the progress of mass rapid transit lines at the DMTCL conference room in the capital.

Responding to a question, the MD said the authorities could not confirm at this stage whether there was any conspiracy behind the incident. “The investigation is underway by reviewing all CCTV footage,” he added. The youth has since been handed over to police custody.

Responding to another question, Mr Faruque said, DMTCL does not find any probability of risk from the present MRT-6 operation, though adding that there is nothing in the world is 100 per cent risk-free.

“Public safety is our first priority, and DMTCL works for it, “he said, adding that surveillance has been increased and train services resumed this morning after overnight inspections.

The managing director, however, admitted that the ridership dropped from around 460,000 to 400,000 passengers after the bearing pad accident.

The DMTCL is also working on the data to find the reasons whether it is related to bearing pad, earthquake, or closing of educational institutions or political uncertainty, he further said.

smunima@yahoo.com