Since opening its first segment in December 2022, the Dhaka Metro Rail (MRT-6) has carried over 200 million passengers. Using DMTCL operational data, city planning documents, and traffic congestion studies, we assess whether the $3bn investment is delivering on its promise of urban transformation.
- ▸Nearly four years later, the MRT-6 line runs from Uttara to Motijheel — 21.26 kilometres across 17 stations — and the data suggests it is beginning to reshape one of the world's most congested cities.
- ▸> Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) reports that MRT-6 carried 62.8 million passengers in FY2025, up from 27.4 million in FY2023 — a compound annual growth rate of 52%.
- ▸Cumulative ridership surpassed 200 million in April 2026.
- ▸## The Ridership Trajectory Daily ridership has grown from an average of 75,000 in January 2023 to 245,000 in June 2026.
- ▸Peak-hour headways have been reduced from 10 minutes to 4 minutes as the fleet expanded from 12 to 24 train sets.
When Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the first segment of the Dhaka Metro Rail on December 28, 2022, it was the culmination of a vision first conceived in 2005 and formally adopted in the 2016 Revised Strategic Transport Plan. Nearly four years later, the MRT-6 line runs from Uttara to Motijheel — 21.26 kilometres across 17 stations — and the data suggests it is beginning to reshape one of the world's most congested cities.
"Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) reports that MRT-6 carried 62.8 million passengers in FY2025, up from 27.4 million in FY2023 — a compound annual growth rate of 52%. Cumulative ridership surpassed 200 million in April 2026.
The Ridership Trajectory
Daily ridership has grown from an average of 75,000 in January 2023 to 245,000 in June 2026. Peak-hour headways have been reduced from 10 minutes to 4 minutes as the fleet expanded from 12 to 24 train sets. The average journey time from Uttara to Motijheel is 38 minutes, compared to 2-3 hours by road during peak traffic.
DMTCL's operational data shows that ridership is concentrated in three peak windows: 8:00-10:00 AM (32% of daily traffic), 1:00-3:00 PM (22%), and 5:00-7:00 PM (28%). The remaining 18% is distributed across off-peak hours. Weekend ridership is 55% of weekday levels, suggesting commuter-dominated usage.
The Traffic Impact
A 2025 study by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) found that traffic velocity on the Uttara-Motijheel corridor increased by an average of 18% during peak hours compared to pre-metro baselines. However, overall Dhaka traffic congestion, measured by the TomTom Traffic Index, improved by only 4% citywide — suggesting that the metro has absorbed latent demand rather than substantially reducing private vehicle usage.
Financial Performance
DMTCL's audited financial statements for FY2025 show total operating revenue of Tk 684 crore ($62 million), of which Tk 612 crore ($55.6 million) came from fare collection and the remainder from station advertising and retail concessions. Operating expenses were Tk 438 crore ($39.8 million), yielding an operating margin of 36% — well above the global metro average of 15-20%.
The Expansion Plan
Three additional lines are under construction or in advanced planning. MRT-1 (Dhaka Airport to Kamalapur via Purbachal) is 34% complete as of June 2026, with an estimated completion date of 2029. MRT-5 (Hemayetpur to Bhatara) is in the land acquisition phase, with construction expected to begin in 2027. The total estimated cost for all four lines is $28 billion, of which $8.7 billion has been committed by development partners including JICA, ADB, and the Government of Bangladesh.
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