Meet Kimeya Orin: The voice guiding Dhaka’s bustling Metro

'This train is bound for Motijheel. Next station is Agargaon. Doors will open on the left. Please stand away from the doors.'
 
The metro rail has seamlessly integrated into our daily routines, and these phrases have gradually become familiar to everyone, especially Dhaka's residents. 

As the train swiftly travels its elevated path, it is often filled to capacity, obscuring the view outside. This makes it challenging for passengers to discern their surroundings or determine their current location. In these moments, such timely official announcements come to the rescue.
 
The metro rail has the capacity to carry 500,000 passengers a day. It currently transports approximately 2,70,000 passengers on an average day.
 
And a female voice guides the multitude of passengers. 

"It seems like it's generated by a machine. That's how it sounds," commented Shadique, a young traveler at Pallabi station.

Like Shadique, many are curious whether the voice is automated, or if there's an actual person behind it. Contrary to what most believe, it is indeed the latter. The voice belongs to Kimeya Orin, a voice artist living in Canada, who continues to serve the people of her homeland through her recordings.
 
"Even though I'm far away, knowing that my voice and my work are part of a major project that daily wins the hearts of commuters fills me with a sense of fulfillment, " said Orin.

"It's comforting to think that I've left a part of myself in the city that has my heart, for the people connected to my homeland," she added further.

Various vendors were involved in executing different segments of the metro rail project. For Orin, it all began with the ticket vending machine. She learned about this opportunity from a former senior colleague from her time as a news presenter at BTV and decided to give it a shot. With a handful of experience and a rich portfolio of sample works, she got selected.
 
Following her initial success, other vendors looked over her previous work and chose her for additional roles in the project, such as announcements for the trains, platforms, and elevators. 

The platform proved to be the most challenging part due to the vast number of messages needed. The open space required numerous instructions for passengers, adding to the complexity of her task.

"The train to Motijheel is entering platform 1. Please stand behind the yellow line. Thank you for your cooperation," echoes at the platform.
 
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Orin regularly recorded numerous messages each week and sent them to the project team. She estimates she recorded around 500 messages in total for the entire project, though she doesn't have an exact tally. These recordings underwent several rounds of revisions.

The messages she recorded varied widely, including instructions, warnings, dos and don'ts, numerical information, signage details, place names, and much more. Among these, there were also some messages she hoped would never actually need to be heard by anyone.

"There is a fire in the station area. Please evacuate immediately,"—  is one such instruction.
 
However, for Orin, this means way more than just work. Everyday she gets showered with praise, appreciation, and well-wishes from friends, family, and even strangers.

"I never sought popularity, nor do I consider this my pinnacle. I never imagined the ripple effect a voice can have, my voice could have," she said.
 
The metro rail started operating just before she moved to Canada, allowing her only a couple of rides. Nonetheless, she holds no regrets. 

"I've done my work, and it's for the people. Perhaps I'll come back to Bangladesh in a year and ride it more. But, hearing your own voice can be a bit cringeworthy at times. I keep thinking I could have done better here and there," she said.
 
There was no contract outlining how long Orin's recorded voice would be used. It is up to the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) to decide whether they will change the voice. Otherwise, Kimeya Orin will continue to serve as the voice guiding thousands of passengers home every day.

Orin earned her degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Ahsanullah University of Science & Technology and initially took a job as a software engineer in Dhaka. She's now studying for her master's in Computer Science at the University of Regina.

Her career as a voice artist, however, began much earlier, in 2014. She served as an English news presenter for Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar. Additionally, as a freelance voice artist, she has contributed her voice to documentaries, educational videos, training materials, and promotional content.