Probe launched after falling bearing pad kills pedestrian at Farmgate; Uttara-Agargaon metro operations resume
DMTCL, which operates the metro rail, says it is investigating the reason behind the accident.
The Dhaka metro rail's Uttara-Agargaon operations resumed at 3pm today (26 October) following a suspension after a pedestrian was killed earlier today as a bearing pad, used to prevent vibration during train operations, came loose and fell on him.
Authorities later launched a probe into the incident, with members of the metro rail technical team starting to work to resolve the issue in the afternoon.
The incident occurred at around 12:15pm near the Farmgate metro station, confirmed Fazlul Karim, additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Tejgaon Division.
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"A bearing pad from the metro rail came loose and fell at Farmgate, killing a man. Metro rail operations have been suspended," he said.
The deceased has been identified as 35-year-old Abul Kalam from Shariatpur, according to Fazlul.
Road Transport and Bridges Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan arrived at the scene along with officials soon after.
He told reporters that a five-member committee has been formed to investigate the accident.
Fouzul said the committee, headed by Bridges Division Secretary Abdur Rouf, has been asked to submit its report within two weeks.
"They will review the previous investigation report and identify why such incidents are recurring," the adviser told reporters after visiting the accident site.
The adviser also said metro rail operations will continue between Uttara North and Agargaon while the investigation is underway.
Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), which operates the metro rail, told TBS that the reason behind the accident is still unknown.
Its authorities added that a maintenance team is working to fix the issue and ensure that train operations can resume soon.
The spring came loose from pillar number 433 of the metro rail.
DMTCL Managing Director Faruque Ahmed said it is currently not possible to keep the metro rail line operational between Farmgate and Motijheel. "However, steps are being taken to resume operations on the Agargaon-to-Uttara section shortly."
In response to a question about when the remaining portion could reopen, he said efforts are underway to restart it today, but it will take some time to complete the necessary work.
He added that one side of the metro rail track has slightly sunk after the bearing pad came loose and fell off.
Hundreds of thousands of commuters who use the Dhaka metro rail to reach their destination every day found themselves in a fix due to the accident and the subsequent train operation suspension today.
With a portion of the route still suspended, many were travelling by road, increasing traffic in some areas.
Witness accounts
Witnesses said the large object suddenly fell while the man was walking along the footpath carrying a bag.
The pad struck him on the head before hitting a nearby tea-and-snack shop, shattering its glass front and injuring two others.
The man died instantly at the scene. Witnesses estimated the fallen pad weighed around 40 to 50kg.
Mohammad Sohan, who was working in a nearby building, told The Business Standard, "At around 12:15pm, there was a sudden loud bang. When I rushed to the spot, I saw a man had died. The spring had hit the back of his head."
Naim Hasan told TBS, "The whole area shook right after the incident. People panicked. When we came closer, we saw that a man had died."
Meanwhile, DMTCL, in a Facebook post, said rail operations have been temporarily suspended due to a technical/mechanical fault, before apologising for the "temporary inconvenience caused to passengers."
It also requested commuters to remain patient and cooperate during this unexpected situation.
Safety concerns
The incident took place approximately 13 months after a similar event on 18 September 2024, when a bearing pad fell from the Dhaka metro rail viaduct, suspending train services between Agargaon and Motijheel for 11 hours.
The 2024 incident had already raised serious safety concerns regarding the design and maintenance of the metro rail system.
Experts at the time attributed the failure to a possible design flaw, noting that the pad fell at a curve where trains exert additional pressure on the structure.
Last year, Professor Hadiuzzaman of Buet's Accident Research Institute told Somoy News that the bearing pad came loose at a section where the train makes a turn, which puts more pressure on it.
He added, "The viaduct was installed without securing the rubber pad to hold the bearings. As a result, the rubber pad could not handle the extra pressure."
He recommended the use of more pressure-resistant, advanced technology pod bearings to prevent such incidents in the future.
Besides, while talking to Dhaka Tribune last year, Hadiuzzaman explained the function of the bearing pad.
"The bearing pad's job is to compress slightly when a vehicle passes over it and then return to its original position. Since the viaduct has not returned to its original state, it indicates that either the bearing pad has lost its functionality or fallen off."
He added that the viaduct joint where the failure occurred was critical, and that without properly functioning bearing pads, pillars could be at risk.
Hadiuzzaman emphasised that these bearings must have been rigorously tested before installation.
What are the functions of a bearing pad?
Bearing pads are located at curved sections of the viaduct, where trains exert additional pressure on the structure. Bearing pads in such locations not only support the weight of the train but also absorb lateral forces and vibrations caused by the train changing direction.
When a pad fails at a curve, it compromises both load distribution and flexibility, increasing stress on the viaduct pillars and joints. This creates a higher risk of structural damage or collapse, especially during heavy train traffic.
Additionally, these pads are designed to protect against dynamic forces like vibrations, shocks, and even seismic activity; without them functioning correctly, both the train and people near the track are exposed to serious hazards.
In short, failures in high-pressure, curved sections amplify risks far more than at straight sections of the viaduct.
