Twenty-seven of the 730 defective bearing pads on the Uttara-Motijheel metro rail route have been classified as critical, while cracks of varying degrees have been found in 46 piers, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam told Parliament on Wednesday, September 9.
He disclosed this in response to a starred question during the parliamentary session. According to the minister, 147 of the 730 defective bearing pads have been identified as having minor defects. He clarified that not all 730 pads are considered critical.
A member of parliament from the Cumilla-9 constituency asked whether 730 bearing pads, or 23.28% of the total, had been found defective on the Uttara-Motijheel route and whether cracks had been detected in 46 pillars, as stated in a report by an independent safety audit committee.
In response, Shaikh Rabiul said the government is appointing Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) as a structural consultant to assess the risks associated with the metro rail and determine repair strategies.
He said defects in 297 bearing pads were mainly related to the workmanship involved in installing the pads. The independent safety audit committee identified cracks of varying degrees in 46 piers.
To implement the recommendations of the safety audit report, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) formed a committee titled the “Safety Audit Report Recommendations Implementation Committee” on July 16, 2026. The committee has already begun work to implement the audit committee’s immediate recommendations.
The minister said steel brackets have been installed at 10 locations where bearing pads could potentially become displaced.
Settlement markers have also been installed at 27 locations to measure the settlement of bearing pads, while a programme has been undertaken to replace 27 bearing pads. The replacement work is targeted for completion by November 30, 2026.
In addition, structural crack gauges are being installed at 102 locations to measure and monitor structural cracks. The installation is expected to be completed by October 31, 2026.
