The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved three major metro rail projects with a combined outlay of Tk 2,49,747 crore, incorporating substantial upward revisions for two ongoing corridors alongside the sanctioning of a new line.

The approvals were granted during an ECNEC meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Wednesday (September 16).

Briefing reporters at the NEC Conference Room following the meeting, State Minister for Planning Zonaed Saki confirmed that ECNEC cleared 12 development projects in total, including 7 new initiatives and 5 revised proposals. Although only MRT Line-5 (Southern Route) was initially listed on the main agenda, the government included the revised proposals for MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 (Northern Route) to expedite the broader mass transit network.

Financial Outlays and Project Details

The approved metro rail package encompasses two Japanese-assisted revised projects alongside a newly authorized corridor co-financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and South Korea:

• MRT Line-1 (Airport–Kamalapur & Purbachal): The revised cost for the 31.24-kilometer underground and elevated route—Bangladesh's first underground metro—has been set at Tk 1,14,394.89 crore. This reflects an increase of Tk 61,833.46 crore (117.64 percent) over the original allocation of Tk 52,561.43 crore. The project completion target has been extended to 2033.

• MRT Line-5 Northern Route (Hemayetpur–Bhatara): The outlay for the 20-kilometer corridor was revised upward to Tk 89,848.36 crore from an initial Tk 41,238.54 crore, representing a cost escalation of Tk 48,609.82 crore. The revised execution window for the line has been pushed to 2032.

• MRT Line-5 Southern Route (Gabtoli–Dasherkandi): Sanctioned as a new project at an estimated cost of Tk 45,503 crore. The government will contribute Tk 15,197 crore, with the remaining Tk 30,306 crore provided as joint loan assistance from ADB and South Korea's Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF). The 17.20-kilometer route features a 13.10-kilometer underground segment running 16 to 38 meters below ground—including beneath Hatirjheel—connecting key intersections such as Shyamoli, Karwan Bazar, and Aftabnagar.

Combined, the cost adjustments for MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 (Northern) account for a total revision bump of over Tk 1.10 lakh crore, driven by foreign exchange variations, expanded civil works, detour route construction, and design modifications.