Metro Money Mishap: New Banknotes Baffle Vending Machines
Ahead of the holy Eid-ul-Azha, Bangladesh Bank released newly redesigned banknotes of Tk 20, Tk 50, and Tk 1000 on June 1. However, even after a month, these notes remain unrecognized by the vending machines installed at various metro rail stations.
Machines located at Uttara North, Uttara Center, Uttara South, Pallabi, Mirpur 11, Mirpur 10, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Agargaon, Bijoy Sarani, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Shahbagh, Dhaka University, Secretariat, Motijheel, and Kamalapur fail to accept the new currency notes. Passengers attempting to purchase tickets using the new notes are repeatedly rejected, with the monitor displaying the message: “লেনদেন প্রক্রিয়াটিতে ত্রুটি আছে। সাহায্যের জন্য অপেক্ষা করুন। সাময়িক অসুবিধার জন্য দুঃখিত।”(“There is an error in the transaction process. Please wait for assistance. We apologize for the inconvenience.”)
Upon inquiry, metro ticket counters informed that “the vending machines have not yet been updated to accept the new banknotes.” As a result, many commuters, despite having valid currency, are unable to buy tickets through the vending machines.
The absence of any public notice on the vending booths leads passengers to make several futile attempts, only to be eventually forced into long queues at the manual counters. This situation has led to visible frustration among commuters on the platforms.
Speaking to several passengers, it was revealed that although the new series of banknotes were introduced over a month ago, the vending machine software has not yet been updated. Moreover, when passengers attempt to use the new notes at the counters, the staff often examine the notes closely—flipping them repeatedly to verify authenticity—causing further delays.
Senior metro rail officials stated, “The new series of currency has not yet reached the general public extensively. Even designated banks are not receiving all denominations at once. The matter is under our observation, and we are working on it. Updating the software will take at least another three to four months.”
Regarding the delay, Md Zakaria, Project Director of MRT-6 under DMTCL, said, “Bangladesh Bank could not deliver the new banknotes to all banks before Eid. Some banks received only the Tk 1000 note, while others got only Tk 20 notes. So we couldn’t start the process earlier. We are now trying to collect the new notes. Once all denominations are available, the vending machine software will be updated accordingly.”
