In a move aimed at easing the capital's chronic commuting chaos, Bangladesh's Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) is set to extend the operating hours of the Dhaka Metro Rail by one hour starting Sunday, marking a significant upgrade in the city's public transport system.
The authorities have also confirmed plans to increase the number of daily trips by mid-November, allowing trains to run more frequently and reducing passenger waiting times.
Transport analysts say the expansion represents more than an operational shift - it signals a structural change in how Dhaka's growing population commutes through one of the world's most congested capitals.
Under the new schedule, trains will begin service 30 minutes earlier in the morning and run 30 minutes later at night.
The first train from Uttara North station will now depart at 640 a.m., compared to 710 a.m. previously. The last train will leave at 930 p.m., instead of 900 p.m. From Motijheel, the first train will depart at 7am and the last at 1010 pm, both half an hour earlier and later, respectively.
On Fridays, service will start at 230 p.m., moving up from 3pm, and continue 30 minutes longer into the night.
According to DMTCL officials, the schedule revision aims to accommodate office commuters, students, and late-evening travellers - segments that have been demanding longer service hours since the metro's full line to Motijheel became operational.
Beyond longer hours, DMTCL plans to increase train frequency starting mid-November. Currently, the metro operates around 238 trips per day, carrying an average of 450,000 passengers.
Once the new schedule is introduced, the number of trips will rise as the train headway (interval) shortens Peak hours from 6 minutes to 4 minutes. Off-peak hours from 8 minutes to 6 minutes. Super off-peak hours from 10 minutes to 8 minutes.
Officials said this optimization would make service more reliable and reduce station congestion. "We are working to ensure that passengers spend less time waiting and more time moving," said one senior DMTCL operations officer.
DMTCL's Managing Director Faruk Ahmed told The Daily Observer that the company is expanding services "step by step" following a series of successful test runs since late September. "We want to make Dhaka Metro more efficient and responsive to passenger demand," he said.
"Every day about 450,000 people use our service. With extended hours and increased frequency, we expect that number to exceed half a million soon."
The company currently deploys 12 train sets in continuous operation out of its 24-set fleet, each train having six carriages.
Once the extended timetable begins, 19 train sets will be in regular service, while the remainder will stay in reserve for maintenance and testing.
Urban transport experts are viewing the move as an important milestone for Dhaka's urban management.
Dr. Samiul Islam, an urban mobility specialist at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), described the decision as "a reflection of a maturing transit system."
"This is not merely about running more trains. It's about synchronising the city's pulse," he said.
"If sustained, this extension could reduce road congestion by 15-20 percent and encourage a cultural shift toward public transport."
