As Bangladesh prepares to welcome the first-ever metro rail services tomorrow (28th December 2022), there are growing concerns among citizens regarding smooth mobile network coverage inside the trains.

According to the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) authority, it will take 20 minutes to travel the 11.73 km distance from Uttara to Agargaon, and it will soon be shortened to 16-17 minutes. As such, having no mobile network or internet connectivity will pose great discomfort for the commuters plying on the metro rail trains.

According to the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), a letter requesting the introduction of mobile network facilities on the Uttara to Agargaon MRT Line-6 of the metro rail was sent to the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) on September 27. A copy of the letter was also shared with the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

In their letter, AMTOB noted that many individuals would use this metro rail every day to commute between various stations. It will consequently lead to a rise in the utilisation of mobile networks.

Hence, the regulatory authorities must take quick action to meet the anticipated increased demand for in-station mobile and internet network connectivity for commuters.