DMTCL not working on scrapping any project

The Dhaka metro rail company is not working on scrapping any metro rail project, nor has conflicts with any development partner, its managing director has said.

Rather, it was working on developing its own parameters of standards to ensure safe metro journeys for all, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Managing Director Faruque Ahmed told a view-exchange meeting with Reporters of Rail and Road (RRR) members at the DMTCL conference room on Wednesday.

His comment came when his attention was drawn to the possible deterioration of relationship with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which has so far financed three mass rapid transit (MRT) lines.

JICA earlier rejected outright DMTCL's request to cancel the entire bidding on two contract packages for MRT-5 North on the note of "disappointment with the request".

"JICA will not concur on any such request," Yoshida Hirosh of the agency told the project director in a letter Sunday.

In this context, Faruque told journalists at the meeting, "We do not have conflicts at any level with any development partner and are conscious about not getting into one in the future."

Terming JICA one of the longstanding partners of Bangladesh, he said DMTCL wanted to create scope for funding by opening up as many development partners were trying to commission the MRTs.

Citing examples, he said the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the Korean Exim Bank had already shown interest in the MRT projects.

During the negotiations of new MRTs, DMTCL's first priority was on capacity building of its staff at all levels and then launching specific projects, he said.

DMTCL had planned to turn into a dynamic organisation, creating scope for leadership and skills by utilising local and international experiences, as well as local resources, in all metro rail development, he said.

Faruque is the first Bangladeshi expatriate engineer to join the state-owned company through a selection process.

Earlier, two managing director positions of Biman Bangladesh Airlines were held by two foreign nationals.

They were also appointed through selections arranged by the government department concerned.

During the meeting, the project directors of MRT-6, MRT-5 North, and MRT-5 South shared the overall development of all MRTs, including the investigation into the October 26 accident that killed a pedestrian when a bearing pad fell on him.

Faruque said the committee had already sought 15 more days to complete the investigation.

smunima@yahoo.com