Dhaka Metrorail services on MRT Line-6 were temporarily suspended for ten minutes on Saturday, 13 June, after a stray cat ventured onto the operational railway tracks, posing a potential safety hazard. The unexpected disruption triggered an immediate emergency response from transit authorities to secure the line and rescue the animal before normal train operations could resume.

Reliable sources within the management of MRT Line-6 confirmed the details of the incident to the media. The presence of the feline was first detected at approximately 11:50 am within the high-voltage track area adjacent to the passenger platform at Shahbagh Metrorail Station.

Emergency Suspension and Fire Service Intervention

Upon spotting the animal on the tracks, station control rooms immediately initiated standard safety protocols. Power to the overhead lines or electrified tracks was monitored, and incoming train movements were ordered to halt to prevent an accident or injury to the animal and transit infrastructure.

Local emergency services were promptly notified to handle the extraction. Personnel from the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence arrived at Shahbagh Station shortly after the alert was raised. Firefighters successfully accessed the track area and safely rescued the cat without further incident. Once the operations team verified that the tracks were entirely clear and that all safety parameters were met, train services were permitted to restart at 12:00 pm.

Official Status and Corporate Responses

The brief suspension caused minor scheduling delays across MRT Line-6, a critical urban transit artery in Dhaka. Despite the swift resolution of the situation by station staff and emergency responders, the public relations department of the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL)—the state-owned enterprise responsible for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the metropolitan rail network—has not yet issued a formal press release or official statement regarding the incident.

Chronology of the Metrorail Operational Disruption