Bangladesh Railway has completed a test run of a special passenger train on the Padma Bridge Rail Link project from Dhaka to Bhanga station in Faridpur, crossing the Padma Bridge via Mawa on Thursday.
The trial train covered the 82-km-long journey in two hours and 10 minutes. It departed from Dhaka’s Kamalapur Railway Station at 10:07am with Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan, high-ranking BR officials, project personnel, and guests on board. The train crossed the Padma Bridge at 11:34am and reached Bhanga station at 12:17pm.
The trial train was operated by locomaster Enamul Haque and assistant locomaster MA Hossain.
During a programme at Bhanga Railway Station, the railways minister announced that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would inaugurate the Padma Bridge rail link project on October 10. “We will then initiate limited-scale commercial operations as soon as possible, and within the next year, the Bhanga-Jashore section will be ready for full-fledged operation,”
He said this train service will reduce cost and save time. “It will also enhance connectivity with India and allow for the full utilisation of Mongla port, contributing significantly to the country's economy,” said the minister.
The minister said that the government has plans to connect all 64 districts of the country with the railway network in phases. Additionally, there are plans to convert all rail lines to broad gauge, and some single lines will be expanded to double lines. Looking ahead, electric trains are envisioned to usher in a new era of rail communication, he said.
Regarding the progress of the Dhaka-Jashore rail link stretching 172km, the minister said that 80 per cent of the Dhaka to Mawa section, 96.50 per cent of the Mawa to Bhanga section, and 78 per cent of the Bhanga to Jashore section have been completed. He assured that the remaining construction work, especially for stations on the Dhaka-Bhanga section, would be finished by the project's deadline in June 2024.
Gendaria, Nimtali, Padma, Shibchar and Bhanga rail stations on the Dhaka-Bhanga part will be opened for service now, the minister said.
Furthermore, he highlighted that once the Faridpur-Bhanga section is added, the communication route between Khulna and Dhaka will be fully redirected via the Padma Bridge. The Khulna-Mongla port railway project has already been completed and is expected to be inaugurated by the prime minister in October.
Deputy Minister for Water Resources Enamul Haque Shamim, Awami League Presidium Member Shajahan Khan, Jatiya Sangsad Chief Whip Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury, Railways Secretary Dr Humayun Kabir, Bangladesh Railway Director General Md Kamrul Ahsan, Padma Bridge Rail Link Project Director Afzal Hossain, members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Railways, senior railway officials, and representatives from the contractor company China Railway Group Limited (CREC) also attended the programme at the Bhanga station.
Meanwhile, BR Director General Md Kamrul Ahsan informed reporters that three stations—Mawa, Padma, and Shibchar—will be operational in the first stage. He also mentioned plans to operate three trains on this route, including Chitra Express and Benapole Express, although fare details were still under consideration.
“From Khulna to Jashore to Chuadanga, Poradaho to Kustia, Rajbari, Faridpur, Bhanga to Dhaka—the trains will be operated on this route initially. This will reduce 20 kilometres distance compared to the current route via Bangabandhu Bridge,” he said.
He said that they have plans to operate three trains on this route including the Chitra Express, and Benapole Express.
Asked, if what will be the fare on this route, he said that they were working on it.
