Dhaka: Mohsin Ashraf works in a private bank in Motijheel. He used to travel in his own car.
He has been traveling in this vehicle since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Uttara-Motijheel Metro Rail section on November 4. He was overwhelmed after traveling without a hitch.
Mohsin said, “We now have the transportation system that will make Motijheel operational again.” Many organizations have moved their headquarters from Motijheel, also known as Bankpara, due to communication barriers. Metrorail will bring back the old charm of Motijheel.
Happiness is not only Mohsin Ashraf alone! Many metro rail commuters expressed their emotions.
A passenger named Asghar Ali told Banglanews that there is a jam on the way to Motijheel; Vapsa had to sit on the road for hours in summer. Kazipara, Shayorapara, IDB, Vijay Sarani, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Banglamotor – in a word, the entire road is jammed. Now that distance is covered in just half an hour. The stations are providing excellent and modern quality services. There is no barrier to go from one station to another. Waiting, ticketing, boarding the metro; A touch of modernity in all areas. I don’t think I’ve been in a building in Bangladesh!
Metrorail fares are slightly higher than regular public transport. Although less time consuming, pleasure travel, safety and standard facilities do not apply. In the future, many people will leave their cars and travel by metro. Dependence on motorcycles will decrease, said Asghar.
Bangladesh Bank Deputy Director (DD) Imrul Rana traveled on a motorcycle. Speaking to BanglaNews, he said, I have been traveling by metro rail since last Sunday. I am thinking of traveling by this vehicle from now on.
The nationwide blockade program has been going on since the day the metro rail started running on November 5. Because of this, office-oriented people are traveling by metro more out of pleasure than out of compulsion. Passengers said that clean, time-saving, hygienic environment free from hawkers and unwanted people, common people are giving importance to metro rail travel. Its effect is also visible. The crowd of people has increased in the office premises of Motijheel. The number of cars is less than before. If the strike-blockade ends, the number of public transport will also decrease compared to earlier. Now the metro facility is available till 11 pm, it will increase in future.
At present, people around Uttara, Greater Mirpur, Farmgate-Karwan Bazar can use Metro. Residents of the capital think that the face of Motijheel will change if the Airport-Kamalapur Expressway is opened. This will reduce the number of people who were moving various offices as Motijheel has reached old age.
The lack of adequate parking facilities in multi-storied buildings of Motijheel is more responsible for the problem of traffic congestion in going to Motijheel. Bangladesh Bank has a big parking but others do not. Creating a special yard for motorcycles is also not profitable.
Various institutions including public and private banks do not have their own car parking facilities. As a result, cars have to be parked on the road. Once Metrorail is fully connected with Motijheel and Expressway with Kamalapur, besides saving time and money, the transport space in Bankpara will increase. Economists and communication experts believe that Motijheel will regain its youth by doing this.
Chairman of Agrani Bank and research director of government research institution BIDS. Zayed Bakht said that the government has taken such projects from such a plan. In addition to new areas where beautiful offices and institutions are being built, the government has taken various plans so that Motijheel can face new challenges. The new city of Purbachal has developed a suitable communication system. A metro rail connection has also been made with Uttara in the north of Mirpur.
He said, the country is developing. Correspondingly, the communication system is also improving. The graphical distribution of communications will also change a lot.
One of the problems of Motijheel is the hawkers on the sidewalks. All these hawkers create employment through small businesses but equally pose a risk to traffic congestion and safe movement. Hawkers are moving away because of Metrorail. In the future, the main roads of Motijheel will also be hawker-free.
Bangladesh Time: 2042 hours, November 6, 2023
ZA/MJ
