Bangladesh launches mobile app for seamless metro pass recharges
A new mobile app for recharging metro rail passes in Bangladesh has officially launched today. The Rapid Pass Mobile App follows the success of the Mass Rapid Transit Line-6, which opened in late 2022 and expanded to Motijheel last November. Over 20,000 users have already registered their mobile numbers since the app was introduced a week ago.
The Mass Rapid Transit Line-6 first began operations on December 28, 2022. A year later, it extended its route to Motijheel on November 4, 2023. Today, around four lakh passengers use the metro daily.
The new app allows users to recharge both Rapid Passes and MRT Passes. Payments can be made via credit cards or mobile financial services like Bkash, Nagad, and Rocket. Each mobile number can register up to five passes for recharging. The minimum top-up amount is Tk 100, while the maximum is Tk 5,000.
Currently, the website handles over 13 lakh pass recharges every day, amounting to Tk 4.5 lakh to Tk 5 lakh in transactions. However, passengers must still touch an 'add-value machine' at metro stations to activate their recharge. The Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) plans to phase out this step in the future, making the process fully contactless.
Judge Anthony W. Capozzi, Executive Director of DTCA, is scheduled to attend today’s launch ceremony.
The app aims to simplify metro pass recharging for Bangladesh’s growing number of metro commuters. While activation still requires a station visit, future updates will remove this requirement. The system is expected to streamline daily travel for thousands of passengers.
