The government will open the Uttara-Agargaon section of the metro rail line-06 to the public on December 16.
The inauguration has been timed to coincide with the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence, officials said on Wednesday.
"We've a plan to open it to the public on Victory Day this year," said Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Limited (DMTCL) managing director MAN Siddique.
Before that, they will start a trial run of trains on the Uttara-Agargaon section within months.
They would be able to announce a specific date for commercial run in July, Mr Siddique added.
He was briefing a team of development journalists, accompanied by planning minister MA Mannan, during a visit to the under-construction metro-rail depot, workshop and stations at Diabari in Dhaka.
The DMTCL with the financial support of Japan is building the 20.1-kilometre Uttara-Agargaon-Farmgate-Motijheel MRT-06 at Tk 219.85 billion.
Of the amount, the Japan International Cooperation Agency or JICA is supplying Tk 165 billion.
The metro will have 16 stations, including Uttara North, Central Uttara, Uttara South, Pallabi, Mirpur-11, Mirpur-10, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Agargaon, Bijoy Sarani, Farmgate, Karwanbazar, Shahbagh, Dhaka University, Secretariat and Motijheel.
When asked, Mr Mannan said they were hopeful of inaugurating the 11.73-km Uttara-Agargaon section on the country's golden jubilee this December.
They have directed the authorities to complete the first-phase work so that it could be launched for commercial run from December.
According to the DMTCL, it has completed 80 per cent of the work in Diabari depot area as of January this year.
Besides, some 76.05 per cent of the work on building the viaduct and stations between Uttara and Agargaon have already been completed.
Contractors are working in full swing on the remaining portion between Agargaon and Motijheel.
They earlier did 55.97-per cent work under package-05 from Agargaon to Karwanbazar and 56.82 per cent between Karwanbazar and Motijheel under package-06.
Mr Siddique said some 58 per cent of the total line-06 work was completed until January 2021.
One set of rolling stock, comprising six passenger coaches, from Japan would reach Uttara deport on April 23, he added.
Besides, four other sets are up for shipment to Bangladesh gradually.
"Then we would start a test run of the trains between five stations from the deport area to Mirpur-11," Mr Siddique said.
They are hopeful of finishing work on stations up to Agargaon within next few months for test run.
When asked, Mr Siddique said they set a target to complete the entire MRT line-06 work from Uttara to Motijheel by December 2022.
"Although our project deadline was June 2024, the government has instructed to complete the work by 2022. Work is progressing accordingly," he added.
