<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Long queues were seen at the Agargaon metro rail station on Thursday morning as the service was open for common people.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Hundreds of people started thronging the station from early morning to travel by the metro rail.</div><div><br></div><div>With the launch of Uttara to Agargaon section—a stretch of over 21 kilometres MRT Line-6, Bangladesh began a new era of commuting with electricity-powered metro rail that aims to ease people’s sufferings in Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>The section from Agargaon to Motijheel is expected to be open a year later.</div><div><br></div><div>A limited number of trains carrying passengers will operate from 8 am to 12 pm every day.</div><div><br></div><div>In the beginning, the train will not stop at all stations. The train will leave the Uttara station and stop at Pallabi, and then it will go to Agargaon without stopping.</div><div><br></div><div>Stopping of trains at intermediate stations will start later.On Wednesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the first ever metro rail service in the capital amid much enthusiasm and festivity.</div><div><br></div><div>She inaugurated the operation of the first phase of the project-- Uttara to Agargaon.</div><div><br></div><div>As the government is starting the operation on a limited scale, it will take 20 minutes to travel the 11.73-Km distance from Uttara to Agargaon, but soon it will come down to 16-17 minutes.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh is the third country in South Asian region to have metro rail service after India and Pakistan.</div><div><br></div><div>Initially the train will carry 200 to 250 passengers and later it will increase to 700 to 800 passengers.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the 12 trains that have been kept ready for operating from Uttara to Agargaon, 10 will run regularly and two will be kept on standby for any problem.</div><div><br></div><div>People can purchase their tickets manually and digitally, and one person will be allowed to get a maximum of five tickets at a time.</div><div><br></div><div>All passengers will have to enter through the gate using a smart pass card after getting a ticket and will be able to use escalators to go to the platform on the third floor.</div><div><br></div><div>The minimum fare for Dhaka metro rail was fixed at Tk 20 and the maximum fare for travelling from Uttara to Motijheel at Tk 100.</div><div><br></div><div>In the first phase, the fare from Uttara station to Agargaon station will be Tk 60. The fare from Uttara (North) to Uttara (Central) and Uttara-South Station will be Tk 20.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, from the first station Uttara North to Pallabi and Mirpur-11 stations, the fare will be Tk 30, the fare till Mirpur 10 and Kazipara stations will be Tk 40 and till Shewrapara station it will be Tk 50. ‍Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>