Metro rail above, crime lingers below

Metro rail has become a fast and convenient way for capital dwellers to avoid traffic congestion, but the spaces beneath the elevated tracks are increasingly being used as shelters by homeless people and drug users, raising safety concerns among pedestrians and nearby residents.

On Saturday afternoon, Dhaka University student Ehsan Chowdhury had his mobile phone stolen while walking home towards West Rajabazar after getting off at Farmgate Metro Rail Station.

He said he felt someone was following him after leaving the station. When he reached home, he found that his pocket had been cut and his phone was missing.

The problem is not confined to Farmgate. From Uttara to Motijheel, spaces beneath the metro rail have been occupied by makeshift shops, rickshaw garages and temporary shelters. Residents allege that some of these areas have also become centres of drug use and other criminal activities.

A visit by this reporter found garbage scattered beneath several sections of the elevated line. Tea stalls, food vendors and rickshaw repair workshops were also operating there, while homeless people had built shelters using plastic sheets, tin and cloth.

At least 60 such shelters were spotted between the TSC intersection and Farmgate alone. During visits over the past few days, people were seen using yaba, cannabis and Dandy, an intoxicating adhesive, inside some shelters. Some vehicles were also seen stopping nearby, with people entering the shelters to buy or use drugs.

On 17 August, police detained a man near the gate of Mirpur-10 Metro Rail Station and recovered 1,702 yaba tablets from his possession. Earlier, on 31 July, police detained one of two men found moving suspiciously at Karwan Bazar Metro Rail Station and recovered yaba from his possession.

The areas beneath the metro rail have also witnessed more serious crimes. On 15 January last year, a 10-year-old street child was raped beneath Shahbagh Metro Rail Station. Police later arrested a 19-year-old man, Rayhan, in connection with the incident.

Jerin Tasnim Oyishi, a regular traveller through Mirpur, said the metro rail has made commuting easier, but authorities have neglected the spaces beneath it. “The vast space under the metro rail from Uttara to Motijheel has now become home to illegal structures and suspected criminal groups,” she said.

The security concerns have also reached the High Court. On 23 August, a High Court bench led by Justice JBM Hassan sought to know whether CCTV cameras have been installed beneath the metro rail and how the warning team is operating. The court set 18 November as the deadline for a progress report. MRT Police Deputy Inspector General Siddiqui Tanzilur Rahman said MRT Police and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police conduct monthly drives to evict floating people from areas beneath the metro rail. DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner Niaz Mehedi said security surveillance has been strengthened at metro stations, entrances and surrounding areas, with relevant agencies working together.

Urban planner Sheikh Muhammad Mehedi Ahsan, vice-president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, said unmanaged spaces beneath the metro rail could become hotspots for crime. “The authorities should keep these areas clean, well-lit and free from illegal settlements. Regular monitoring and proper use of the space are also essential to prevent crime,” he said.