Dhaka Metro rail: Also a show of local engineering might

[Homo Sapiens]

Metro rail: Also a show of local engineering might​

Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS
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Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS

Highlights

• Local firms account for all rods and cement used in the project
• Local contractor in direct construction for the first time in mega-project
• Local paint-maker provides all the painting solutions

---

Dhaka Metro Rail put the country's heavy industries in a capacity test and the local ventures passed it with flying colours – proving that Bangladesh also can produce international-level construction material and services.

Local companies supplied around 1,80,000 tonnes of steel and 3.50 lakh tonnes of cement for the construction of the main structure of the rapid transportation project. Local colour-maker Berger Paints Bangladesh Ltd came up with the painting solutions both for industrial and decorative segments. Besides, Bangladeshi industrial conglomerate Abdul Monem Limited teamed up with its foreign counterparts to be the main local contractor of a mega-project for the first time in Bangladesh.

According to project officials, local construction support to Dhaka Metro Rail ranging from supplying bricks to providing sand, supervision of the civil work to beautification, and other infrastructure work helped cut the project costs. They also note such experiences and engineering skills will pave the way for large-scale constructions in future.

"We primarily assumed that all the components for the heavy metro rail civil work will have to be imported. But the local companies proved us wrong, which eventually prevented the project costs from edging up," MAN Siddique, managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) – the owner and operator of the mass rapid transit system, told The Business Standard.


He said the Italian Thai Development Public Company – the foreign construction firm of the work – assessed the locally produced construction material before beginning the project.
"As they were happy with the quality, there was no need for importing the raw material," MAN Siddique said.

BSRM, AKS, KSRM supplied the rod

The metro rail construction required consistent and high-quality rods produced in state-of-the-art facilities. Since the local steel manufacturers already had such latest technologies, metro rail construction did not have to go for any rod import.

Of the total 1.79 lakh tonne requirement, country's leading rod-maker BSRM supplied 1.14 lakh tonnes of rods alone, including the popular Extreme 500W. Like this project in the capital, the rod-maker topped the local steel supply for Padma Bridge construction.

"BSRM supplied nearly 65% of the steel rods required for the metro rail project. We were chosen thanks to our quality, capacity and services," Tapan Sengupta, deputy managing director of BSRM, told TBS.

He commented that foreign construction firms did not have any complaints over the quality of rods supplied by BSRM and its market peers.

Abul Khair Steel Mills (AKS), the country's second largest rod-maker, supplied 45,000 tonnes of rods to the mega-project. The AKS consignment included the company's key manufacturing technology TMT – a road-making process that involves heating and cooling to develop better properties in steel by refining its microstructure.

Another local manufacturer KSRM supplied more than 20,000 tonnes of "500-W High Power" rods to the metro project, according to the rod-maker's Senior General Manager MD Jashim Uddin.
He said KSRM has been producing 500-W grade rods for several ongoing mega-projects, as Padma Bridge had sourced such steel items from the company.

Bashundhara cement in all civil works
Cement was one of the key ingredients for metro rail depots, base, pillars and spans construction. Though the granite and stone of the main railway line came from Europe, all the concrete blocks for the civil work required cement. And local cement-maker Bashundhara smoothly provided the construction input to the mega-project.

According to the Mass Transit Company, the so-far civil work, stretching from Uttara to Motijheel, required 3.48 lakh tonnes of cement – which was supplied by Bashundhara Cement alone.
Khandker Kingshuk Hossain, chief marketing officer of Bashundhara Cement, said they were able to achieve the rare feat thanks to Bashundhara's consistent quality, high finesse and lower alkali content in the finished product.

He mentioned that Bashundhara previously supplied more than 80% of the cement used in Padma Bridge.
Another local cement-maker Shah Cement was the supplier for some other project components like residential buildings for project officials and workers.

A record by Abdul Monem
Bangladesh had to appoint foreign firms in all its major infrastructural projects such as the Jamuna or Padma Bridge. Due to lack of capacity and experience, local companies could not even participate in the bidding for such gigantic construction activities.

But Bangladeshi industrial conglomerate Abdul Monem qualified as the main local contractor for metro rail work, which is the first for a local company to achieve such a feat, thanks to Abdul Monem's subcontracting experience in the Padma Bridge. As the main contractor, the local firm did civil work worth Tk1,500 crore in the Agargaon-Karwan Bazar stretch of the transport project.
Of the total 20km of civil work of Dhaka Metro Rail, TEKKEN-Abdul Monem-ABENKO Joint venture did 3km.

Mahmud Hossen, deputy authorised representative of TEKKEN-Abdul Monem-ABENKO joint venture, said Abdul Monem as a subcontractor to the Padma Bridge project first gained a mega-project experience. In continuation to that, the company got metro work by contesting an international bidding.

"The experiences in those two projects now make us an international constructor. Over the past couple of years, we have managed to organise a large number of skilled engineers and workers," he added.

According to Mahmud Hossen, around 80% of 500 construction staff of the local company are Bangladeshi citizens. The company initially had foreigners in those posts, but locals have replaced them gradually.

Berger Paints Bangladesh, the only company that got the work order directly from the contractor, supervised the paint application and provided other technical support to the metro rail project.

Rupali Haque Chowdhury, managing director of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited, said Berger is extremely proud to be able to participate in the construction process of a project of such magnitude.

Metro rail: Also a show of local engineering might

Highlights Local firms account for all rods and cement used in the project Local contractor in direct construction for the first time in mega-project Local paint-maker provides all the painting solutions Dhaka Metro Rail put the country's heavy industries in a capacity test and the local...

www.tbsnews.net

 

[bluesky]

Metro rail: Also a show of local engineering might​

Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS
" style="box-sizing: inherit; outline: none; cursor: pointer;">

Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS

Highlights

• Local firms account for all rods and cement used in the project
• Local contractor in direct construction for the first time in mega-project
• Local paint-maker provides all the painting solutions

---

Dhaka Metro Rail put the country's heavy industries in a capacity test and the local ventures passed it with flying colours – proving that Bangladesh also can produce international-level construction material and services.

Local companies supplied around 1,80,000 tonnes of steel and 3.50 lakh tonnes of cement for the construction of the main structure of the rapid transportation project. Local colour-maker Berger Paints Bangladesh Ltd came up with the painting solutions both for industrial and decorative segments. Besides, Bangladeshi industrial conglomerate Abdul Monem Limited teamed up with its foreign counterparts to be the main local contractor of a mega-project for the first time in Bangladesh.

According to project officials, local construction support to Dhaka Metro Rail ranging from supplying bricks to providing sand, supervision of the civil work to beautification, and other infrastructure work helped cut the project costs. They also note such experiences and engineering skills will pave the way for large-scale constructions in future.

"We primarily assumed that all the components for the heavy metro rail civil work will have to be imported. But the local companies proved us wrong, which eventually prevented the project costs from edging up," MAN Siddique, managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) – the owner and operator of the mass rapid transit system, told The Business Standard.


He said the Italian Thai Development Public Company – the foreign construction firm of the work – assessed the locally produced construction material before beginning the project.
"As they were happy with the quality, there was no need for importing the raw material," MAN Siddique said.

BSRM, AKS, KSRM supplied the rod

The metro rail construction required consistent and high-quality rods produced in state-of-the-art facilities. Since the local steel manufacturers already had such latest technologies, metro rail construction did not have to go for any rod import.

Of the total 1.79 lakh tonne requirement, country's leading rod-maker BSRM supplied 1.14 lakh tonnes of rods alone, including the popular Extreme 500W. Like this project in the capital, the rod-maker topped the local steel supply for Padma Bridge construction.

"BSRM supplied nearly 65% of the steel rods required for the metro rail project. We were chosen thanks to our quality, capacity and services," Tapan Sengupta, deputy managing director of BSRM, told TBS.

He commented that foreign construction firms did not have any complaints over the quality of rods supplied by BSRM and its market peers.

Abul Khair Steel Mills (AKS), the country's second largest rod-maker, supplied 45,000 tonnes of rods to the mega-project. The AKS consignment included the company's key manufacturing technology TMT – a road-making process that involves heating and cooling to develop better properties in steel by refining its microstructure.

Another local manufacturer KSRM supplied more than 20,000 tonnes of "500-W High Power" rods to the metro project, according to the rod-maker's Senior General Manager MD Jashim Uddin.
He said KSRM has been producing 500-W grade rods for several ongoing mega-projects, as Padma Bridge had sourced such steel items from the company.

Bashundhara cement in all civil works
Cement was one of the key ingredients for metro rail depots, base, pillars and spans construction. Though the granite and stone of the main railway line came from Europe, all the concrete blocks for the civil work required cement. And local cement-maker Bashundhara smoothly provided the construction input to the mega-project.

According to the Mass Transit Company, the so-far civil work, stretching from Uttara to Motijheel, required 3.48 lakh tonnes of cement – which was supplied by Bashundhara Cement alone.
Khandker Kingshuk Hossain, chief marketing officer of Bashundhara Cement, said they were able to achieve the rare feat thanks to Bashundhara's consistent quality, high finesse and lower alkali content in the finished product.

He mentioned that Bashundhara previously supplied more than 80% of the cement used in Padma Bridge.
Another local cement-maker Shah Cement was the supplier for some other project components like residential buildings for project officials and workers.

A record by Abdul Monem
Bangladesh had to appoint foreign firms in all its major infrastructural projects such as the Jamuna or Padma Bridge. Due to lack of capacity and experience, local companies could not even participate in the bidding for such gigantic construction activities.

But Bangladeshi industrial conglomerate Abdul Monem qualified as the main local contractor for metro rail work, which is the first for a local company to achieve such a feat, thanks to Abdul Monem's subcontracting experience in the Padma Bridge. As the main contractor, the local firm did civil work worth Tk1,500 crore in the Agargaon-Karwan Bazar stretch of the transport project.
Of the total 20km of civil work of Dhaka Metro Rail, TEKKEN-Abdul Monem-ABENKO Joint venture did 3km.

Mahmud Hossen, deputy authorised representative of TEKKEN-Abdul Monem-ABENKO joint venture, said Abdul Monem as a subcontractor to the Padma Bridge project first gained a mega-project experience. In continuation to that, the company got metro work by contesting an international bidding.

"The experiences in those two projects now make us an international constructor. Over the past couple of years, we have managed to organise a large number of skilled engineers and workers," he added.

According to Mahmud Hossen, around 80% of 500 construction staff of the local company are Bangladeshi citizens. The company initially had foreigners in those posts, but locals have replaced them gradually.

Berger Paints Bangladesh, the only company that got the work order directly from the contractor, supervised the paint application and provided other technical support to the metro rail project.

Rupali Haque Chowdhury, managing director of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited, said Berger is extremely proud to be able to participate in the construction process of a project of such magnitude.

Metro rail: Also a show of local engineering might

Highlights Local firms account for all rods and cement used in the project Local contractor in direct construction for the first time in mega-project Local paint-maker provides all the painting solutions Dhaka Metro Rail put the country's heavy industries in a capacity test and the local...

www.tbsnews.net

The writer has little knowledge about various steps that are taken when a civil engineering project is undertaken.

Planning and then comes the site selection, soil investigation under the piers/ columns to analyze the load bearing capacities of soil and piles, determination of pile lengths/ Dias., the mathematical design analysis of the structures, surveying and hundred other technological things.

Long story short, BD side did nothing that’s involved engineering procedure. But, the writer concludes that BD side is now has now gained an expertise because some BD companies supplied steel rods and cement.

This made me pondering if BD can build such a project by itself in the next five centuries. Other countries create a situation whereby the local companies/ engineers learn and do similar projects by themselves.

But, not our Golden Bangladesh. It is led by two stupid parties headed by two stupid women supposed to be managing their family kitchen.

We are a very unfortunate nation.

 

[BananaRepublicUK]

The writer has little knowledge about various steps that are taken when a project is in the planning stage.

Then comes the site selection, soil investigation to analyze the load bearing capacities of soil and piles, determination of pile lengths/ Dias., the design analysis of rly structures and stations, surveying and hundred other technological aspects.

Long story short, BD side did nothing involving engineering procedure. But, the writer concludes that BD side is now an expert because some companies supplied steel rods and cement.

This made me pondering if BD can build such a project by itself in the next five centuries. Other countries create a situation whereby the local companies/ engineers learn and do similar projects by themselves.

But, not our Golden Bangladesh. It is led by two stupid parties led by two stupid women.

Tbh, I don’t think even India can build these without foreign expertise.

Albeit, India has higher local content.

As people slowly move away from Madrasah based education - things should improve!

But it needs to happen faster!

 

[Maira La]

After 40 years of Wahhabism under Ershad, Zia and his illiterate wife - Bangladeshis are finally learning basic engineering concepts.

Mate did you skip your meds?

 

[BananaRepublicUK]

Mate did you skip your meds?

Yes! Because it was prescribed by a Madrasa educated “hoojur”

 

[Destranator]

The writer has little knowledge about various steps that are taken when a civil engineering project is undertaken.

Planning and then comes the site selection, soil investigation under the piers/ columns to analyze the load bearing capacities of soil and piles, determination of pile lengths/ Dias., the mathematical design analysis of the structures, surveying and hundred other technological things.

Long story short, BD side did nothing that’s involved engineering procedure. But, the writer concludes that BD side is now has now gained an expertise because some BD companies supplied steel rods and cement.

This made me pondering if BD can build such a project by itself in the next five centuries. Other countries create a situation whereby the local companies/ engineers learn and do similar projects by themselves.

But, not our Golden Bangladesh. It is led by two stupid parties headed by two stupid women supposed to be managing their family kitchen.

We are a very unfortunate nation.

I think you are ignoring the fact that the Concept Design was delivered by Bangabandhu while Hasina herself completed System Integration today by conducting Dynamic Testing from Diabari to Mirpur.
You should feel grateful to be a citizen of such an advanced nation and not worry about minor things such as live loads, shear stress, Detailed Site Survey, earthing and bonding, track alignment, signal headways, etc. - anyone can deal with these.

 

[bluesky]

I think you are ignoring the fact that the Concept Design was delivered by Bangabandhu while Hasina herself completed System Integration today by conducting Dynamic Testing from Diabari to Mirpur.
You should feel grateful to be a citizen of such an advanced nation and not worry about minor things such as live loads, shear stress, Detailed Site Survey, earthing and bonding, track alignment, signal headways, etc. - anyone can deal with these.

Do you have any knowledge or background to understand what I wrote? What is your own credibility as a civil design engineer?

So, please ask Hasina Bibi to design another subway in Chittagong like Mujib did in Dhaka. There will be another great subway there.

Why Japan or JICA? Mujib himself was enough. In his absence, Hasina is good enough.

 

[Bengal71]

Mate did you skip your meds?

He did, goes without saying. Infact he is likely a fugitive from Pabna pagla garod.

 

[Bilal9]

Mate did you skip your meds?

Pabna Hemayetpur Mental Asylum called.

They are looking for a missing patient given to incoherent ramblings.

 

[Bilal9]

Do you have any knowledge or background to understand what I wrote? What is your own credibility as a civil design engineer?

So, please ask Hasina Bibi to design another subway in Chittagong like Mujib did in Dhaka. There will be another great subway there.

Why Japan or JICA? Mujib himself was enough. In his absence, Hasina is good enough.

@bluesky Bhai - some nations have the capability to actually organize and plan engineering projects from scratch to completion, which comes from their identity as a nation and their collective conscience.

Some nations make an academic exercise of improving their nationhood and learn it - like Japan did in the Meiji era. They had people and administrators (though having little command of English) of great vision. They started sending entourages overseas to benchmark the best of the best and apply/adapt it to their Japanese scenario. Everything you see in Japan today was somehow adapted from Western examples, whether you talk about their aircraft/motor vehicle industry or even things like forging/metal working practices to add value for export or import substitution in the late 1800's.

This stemmed from their indomitable desire to better themselves, though late 1800's Japan was scarcely better than Bangladesh - being overpopulated and somewhat disorganized.

Such national capability to coordinate and plan projects and improve the state of existing things from an umbrella standpoint is absent in Bangladesh, all these low class Bangladesh administrator unqualified gadhas (put in place because of nepotism) are running after their own "bakhra" and bribery proceeds. Just the pit of incompetence, these morons. In any normal overseas country, they'd get summarily fired and not get another job.

So - we reaped what we sowed. GIGO. Garbage In, Garbage Out. You can't run a country with unqualified goru gadhas.

Just look at the pattern of urbanization in Dhaka City to see what the city fathers lacked as far as vision and planning. What legacy we have showing is just embarrassing. No recourse except to wipe the slate clean and start again.

All the halfway capable people in Bangladesh got disgusted and left. All you have left are mostly low class chaprashis and nokars incapable of understanding how to run the place. Kaua Quader is a great example. So developmentally disabled (probably through a bash to his head from his goonda days) that it takes a good minute to get a sentence out of his mouth.

 

[Abu Shaleh Rumi]

Great partnership!

After 40 years of Wahhabism under Ershad, Zia and his illiterate wife - Bangladeshis are finally learning basic engineering concepts.

LOL man, I bet most of our local experienced engineers employed in this project are BNP, JAPA era students. Gaining experience takes time. Use some common sense!

And the way you're spamming every threads for past couple of days with nonsense and widely off topic comments is unhealthy...

 

[Bilal9]

I think you are ignoring the fact that the Concept Design was delivered by Bangabandhu while Hasina herself completed System Integration today by conducting Dynamic Testing from Diabari to Mirpur.
You should feel grateful to be a citizen of such an advanced nation and not worry about minor things such as live loads, shear stress, Detailed Site Survey, earthing and bonding, track alignment, signal headways, etc. - anyone can deal with these.

Talking about "Live Loads" she qualifies as one herself....

I was halfway convinced she'd attach railway wheels on all four limbs and propel herself down the track as great speed - to the amazement of all and sundry !!

LOL man, I bet most of our local experienced engineers employed in this project are BNP, JAPA era students. Gaining experience takes time. Use some common sense!

And the way you're spamming every threads for past couple of days with nonsense and widely off topic comments is unhealthy...

Shob student e ek !!

Shob gulir mathai-e gobar.

Chakri paisey mama and chachar jorey.

Ghotey shar-mormo kisui nai, faka gorer math.

 

[EasyNow]

Bangladesh had to appoint foreign firms in all its major infrastructural projects such as the Jamuna or Padma Bridge. Due to lack of capacity and experience, local companies could not even participate in the bidding for such gigantic construction activities.

But Bangladeshi industrial conglomerate Abdul Monem qualified as the main local contractor for metro rail work, which is the first for a local company

This is clearly the first time BD firms have even been able to deliver this much of the project. This is positive news and the first step in the right direction.

Not sure why some people are turning this thread into another wailing tear-fest.

 

[leonblack08]

This is clearly the first time BD firms have even been able to deliver this much of the project. This is positive news and the first step in the right direction.

Not sure why some people are turning this thread into another wailing session.

Abdul Monem Group have experience in large projects, but always played small roles. Happy to see them getting more involved and gaining more experience in the process.

But I am more glad about the domestic steel and cement suppliers being able to meet the quality standards. Going forward for government projects our tenders should only be restricted to local suppliers to help them develop. Of course subject to them meeting quality standards.

 

[Bilal9]

Abdul Monem Group have experience in large projects, but always played small roles. Happy to see them getting more involved and gaining more experience in the process.

But I am more glad about the steel and cement suppliers being able to meet the quality standards. Going forward for government projects our tenders should only be restricted to local suppliers to help them develop. Of course subject to them meeting quality standards.

Bhairey - steel ar cement to ar import korey antey parena. Expensive to transport.

Indian cement is more expensive than Bangladeshi cement.