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Published : 01 Jan 2026, 08:54 PM
An inquiry into the metro rail mishap in Farmgate has found a possible “design flaw” in the viaduct and its bearing pad may have contributed to it falling on a pedestrian, leading to his death.
The investigation committee, led by Bridges Division Secretary Mohammad Abdur Rouf, submitted its report to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges on Thursday.
At a press briefing at the Secretariat, different parts of the investigation report were highlighted, and the ministry later released sections of the report in a statement.
In 2016, the construction of the metro rail began in Uttara and was completed by the end of 2022.
In 2021, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) extended the project period by one and a half years. It approved a revised proposal increasing the cost by about Tk 114.87 billion.
The total cost of the project stood at Tk 334.72 billion when the metro rail was inaugurated in 2022, with technical assistance and financing from Japan.
On Oct 26, around 12:30pm, 35-year-old Abul Kalam died on the spot after a bearing pad fell off the pillar of the Farmgate Metro Station.
A five-member investigation committee was formed on the day of the incident. Later, four more experts were co-opted.
The statement said the committee interviewed witnesses, train drivers, operators, metro rail officials, and other relevant parties, and also inspected the accident site.
The bearing pad manufacturer, contractors, and design consultants were consulted as well.
Alongside analysing design documents, data, and reports, laboratory tests were conducted on the deviated bearing pads, and vibration measurements were taken during train operations.
The initial probe found that the hardness, compression set, and neoprene content of the deviated bearing pads did not meet prevailing standards, though further tests are needed to confirm.
The investigation also found that the bearing pads were installed at a slight slope (0.8 percent), which may have contributed to the deviation.
The report mentioned a circular curve alignment at both ends of the metro station, but no transition curve was used between the straight and curved sections of the viaduct.
The committee said this could represent a design flaw, as the straight alignment was not separately modelled or analysed for the curved section.
Vibration measurements during train operation showed that piers with deviated bearing pads (pier numbers 430 and 433) experienced significantly higher vibrations than other piers, likely due to additional lateral forces generated by the curved alignment, contributing to pad displacement.
The investigation also found that although neoprene rubber-based mass-spring damper systems were installed under the rail in curved sections and near stations, rigid tracks were used in the middle section near the accident site.
The committee said that using mass-spring damper systems could have reduced vibration.
However, the investigation committee did not find any evidence of sabotage in the accident.
The committee issued five recommendations to prevent similar accidents:
Implement urgent technical measures to stop bearing pads from shifting in curved areas
Conduct an in-depth viaduct and track design analysis via a third-party consultant
Carry out a safety audit of the entire project
Install a structural health monitoring system
Ensure technology transfer from foreign consultants to local experts
