Officials and employees of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) have demanded the establishment of formal service rules and issued a three-day ultimatum to the authorities. In a press release sent to the media on Tuesday, they warned of halting metro rail services if the rules are not finalized by February 20.

According to the statement, employees appointed through direct recruitment have been pressing for the service rules since February 13, leading to discussions on a draft policy by senior officials. The authorities assured that a final service rule would be adopted after necessary amendments in an upcoming board meeting.

The release further cited a directive from the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges (Memo No. 28.00.0000.000.60.001.24.122, dated September 12, 2024), which instructed DMTCL to finalize the service rules within 60 working days. Decisions from the 60th board meeting also emphasized the need for timely implementation. However, despite over five months having passed, the rules remain incomplete for unspecified reasons. This delay has led over 200 skilled employees, both local and foreign-trained, to resign, jeopardizing metro rail operations and maintenance.

The employees have warned that if the rules are not finalized within February 18-20, metro rail services will be suspended from February 21, holding DMTCL management accountable for any inconvenience to Dhaka residents.

In response, DMTCL Managing Director Mohammad Abdur Rouf admitted that the delay in finalizing the service rules reflects a shortcoming. While progress is underway, he noted that completing the process within three days might not be feasible but assured that efforts are ongoing to resolve the issue promptly.