Metro rail employees announce service suspension from Friday

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) regular officers and staff have announced a full-scale strike and the suspension of all passenger services starting Friday (12 December) at 7:00 am, citing the non-formulation and non-publication of comprehensive service regulations.

The employees alleged that DMTCL was supposed to address their demands on 9 December. Since this did not happen, they have declared the strike in line with their previously announced ultimatum.

Several DMTCL officials and employees confirmed the information on Wednesday (10 December). They stated that although DMTCL has been in operation for 12 years since its establishment in 2013, no separate service regulations have yet been finalised for over 900 officers and staff. As a result, since the start of commercial metro rail operations on 28 December 2022, employees recruited through open selection have been performing their duties day and night but remain deprived of basic benefits such as leave, CPF, gratuity, shift allowance, overtime, and group insurance.

They further explained that, according to the advisory committee’s instructions on 12 September 2024, service rules were supposed to be formulated within 60 working days, but this was not implemented. Later, when employees protested on 13 February 2025, the management assured them that the service rules would be finalised by 20 March, but this promise was also unfulfilled. Frustration among employees has grown over the past nine months.

In addition to the strike, the regular officers and staff will hold peaceful sit-in protests daily in front of the DMTCL headquarters.