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On Wednesday, the first metro train launched in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Officials and commuters hope that it will help traffic problems in one of the most densely populated cities in the world.
The project is called ‘Line 6’ and is mostly funded by Japan. The prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, attended the opening ceremony and called the new railway a “milestone.”
Hasina says that the train will have cars just for women. She also says the new Dhaka Metro will reduce traffic in the city.
Line 6 is more than 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) long and has 16 stations. It connects the northern area of Dhaka to government offices and hospitals. In the future, it will go through the middle of the city and connect to the financial district.
Dhaka is the largest city in Bangladesh. The 20 million people who live there have to drive through crowded streets and traffic jams every day.
Every year, more than 3,000 people die in road accidents in Bangladesh.
Experts say that Dhaka’s infrastructure did not improve and grow to match the number of people who live there. Now, the country relies on cars and does not have good public transportation. People hope that the new metro line will make things better.
Vocabulary
- Launch – start selling something; introduce a new product; to start using a new thing
- Official – a person who works for the government and has power or authority; officer; executive
- Commuter – A person who travels regularly from home to work or school and back
- Traffic – the movement of cars, trains, people, planes or ships
- Densely populated – Having a lot of people living in a small area
- Fund – to provide the money to pay for an event, activity or thing; pay for; finance; support
- Prime minister – the head or leader of an elected government of a country
- Attend – be present at a place or event; to go to an event; to be at an event
- Ceremony – A formal event, especially one celebrating a special occasion
- Milestone – An important stage or event in the development of something or in someone’s life
- Car (train car / carriage) – one section of a train; a vehicle that is joined with other parts to make a long train
- Reduce – to make less; make smaller; decrease; bring down; shrink
- Financial district – A part/area of a city where many banks and businesses are located
- Traffic jam – a lot of vehicles are stopped or are moving very slowly on a road
- Infrastructure – equipment and structures for a city or society (roads, railroads, bridges, power plants, etc.)
- Rely on – to need (someone or something) for support or help; depend on
- Public transportation – Buses, trains, and subways that are available for all people to use
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- How will funding from Japan to build the new metro line impact the relations between the two countries?
- How might the new metro line in Dhaka impact the overall quality of life for residents of the city?
- What are the pros and cons of building a metro line in a city like Dhaka?
Original Story
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