Dhaka’s Metro Rail Line-1 project is now estimated to cost Tk75,649 crore, up from the original projection of Tk49,516 crore in October 2019. Officials attribute the escalation to the depreciation of the Taka against the dollar, higher wages, repeated design changes, global inflation, and increased construction material costs.

The line, stretching over 31 kilometres, will include nearly 20 kilometres of underground track. Twelve of the nineteen stations are designed to be underground. The route will connect Purbachal in Narayanganj to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport through Nadda, while a second section will run from Nadda to Kamalapur via Badda.

Tenders have been submitted for eight of the project’s twelve packages. The first package, which involves building a depot in Rupganj, Narayanganj, is nearing completion. According to project officials, the combined cost of the eight packages has already surpassed initial estimates by more than Tk10,000 crore. The remaining four packages are expected to add another Tk15,000 crore. The project authority plans to submit a revised cost proposal to the government once all twelve packages are tendered.

The project, financed partly by a Japanese loan through JICA, was initially approved at Tk53,977 crore in 2019. The government contributed Tk14,526 crore, while JICA committed Tk39,450 crore. Officials said the foreign loan component alone could increase by Tk36,199 crore due to exchange rate fluctuations and additional taxes.

Construction began in 2023, with an initial target completion date of December 2026. However, progress reports indicate that work is unlikely to finish before 2030. Project Director Md Abul Kashem Bhuiyan confirmed that contractors have submitted bids for eight packages and that final costs will be determined once all tenders are completed.

The metro rail line is intended to ease Dhaka’s chronic traffic congestion and improve urban mobility. However, rising costs and extended timelines pose significant challenges for the project and could affect future phases of metro development in the city.