Road Transport and Bridges Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan. File Photo

DHAKA, Jan 1, 2026 (BSS) - Road Transport and Bridges Adviser Dr Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan today said some technical tests were required to be carried out overseas to ascertain what caused a metro rail accident in October killing a pedestrian in the capital.

Pedestrian Abul Kalam Azad, 35, died when a bearing pad of metro rail station fell on him in Dhaka's Farmgate area on October 26.

“It appears from the initial investigation that the hardness, compression set and the neoprene (synthetic rubber) of the deviated bearing pad was not up to the mark. But requires further tests in laboratories abroad to confirm the matter,” he told a press conference.

The adviser said a “third party safety audit” was required as well to review the overall project design of the Metrorail system.

He said the Metrorail authority would recommend punitive actions against the people responsible for the accident.

Khan said immediately after the pedestrian’s death the government formed bridges division secretary Mohammad Abdur Rouf-led investigation committee comprising engineers and related experts and later police detectives too were co-opted to find possible crime links alongside technical flaws.

He said the committee visited the site and interviewed witnesses, train drivers, operators, officials and also quizzed bearing pad manufacturing company, contractors and design consultants.

Khan said the committee thoroughly examined the design documents and other related information and reports and inspected various parts of the Metrorail structure and carried out important laboratory tests.

The adviser said the committee came up several technical recommendations to prevent such accidents in future.