The brave seven: The MRT experts lost to Holey Artisan attack

The construction of the metro rail in Bangladesh brought together eight technical experts from three Tokyo-based consulting firms. 

It was the brightest minds working together to make the country's first metro rail, a momentous occasion for all.

On July 1, 2016, the three were eating together at the Holey Artisan, perhaps discussing the gravity of their work, when the worst terrorist attack in Bangladesh's recent memory took place.

Among the eight, two women and five men died. One managed to make it out alive - Tomaoki Watanabe.

Lives were upended and for the metro rail, it proved to be a major setback.

But as life finds a way to go on, so did the work on the mega project. The rail authority also beefed up security measures.

Tomaoki Watanabe, who was hospitalised after being shot, was one out of four employees from Almec, a transportation consultancy, who managed to survive. 

The other three – Yuko Sakai, Rui Shimodaira and Makoto Okamura – were killed.

Another victim, Koyo Ogasawara, worked for Katahira & Engineers International, a transportation consultancy that has worked on projects in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The other three were working for Oriental Consultants Global, which is part of a Japanese project to build three bridges for the widening of the national highway from Dhaka to Chattogram. They were identified as Hideki Hashimoto, Nobuhiro Kurosaki and Hiroshi Tanaka.

"We do not forget that incident, particularly the seven Japanese, who were killed. All of them were working on a feasibility study for MRT lines. They were dedicated to the realisation of these MRT projects," Ichiguchi Tomohide, chief representative of Jica, Bangladesh Office, told The Business Standard. 

"We should not forget them. So every year, on July 1, when that incident happened, we always organise some memorial ceremonies," he added.

MAN Siddique, the managing director of the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), told TBS, "If you visit the metro rail's exhibition and information centre [located in Depot], you will see that there is a Memorial Plaque set up in memory of slain Japanese citizens working for the metro rail. We paid tribute to them at a programme this year." 

As they were working on the MRT-1 and MRT-5, when the Natun Bazar railway station will be built, the metro rail authority will shift the memorial plaque there permanently. 

"There are some books they were holding in their hands when they were killed. Those books will also be on display at the place," said Siddique, adding, "We will pay tribute to the memorial place every year." 

The Holy Artisan casualties included nine Italians, seven Japanese, an American and an Indian.

How the authority overcame 

When the attack took place, only one contract was signed – CP-1: Depot Land Development by Tokyo Construction. 

Afterwards, many companies were reluctant to come to join the bidding out of fear, according to the JICA.

To overcome this, the BMTCL decided to introduce better measures to enhance safety. 

"There were some construction offices. So some big walls were needed around the offices. CCTV and employment of security companies was also needed," said JICA chief representative Ichiguchi Tomohid. 

"Those things were introduced in the bidding documents. Then, many companies felt safer and more comfortable to join in the bidding," he added. 

"After that incident, we also carried out some consultation with the government- how we can ensure safety. We had legal discussions with the home ministry, and we continue to monitor what we can do to give confidence to companies and consultants."

MAN Siddique, the managing director of DMTCL, said, "They could go back to their home and never return. But they did return because the metro rail authority beefed up security measures.

"We arranged three-tiered security measures for them," he added.