Train operation on Jamuna Railway Bridge begins

The much-awaited train operation on the newly built railway bridge over the Jamuna River has begun.

The Dhaka-bound intercity train 'Silk City Express' from Rajshahi crossed the bridge at 11:17am on Wednesday and reached the Tangail end at 11:24am, making history as the first train to cross the bridge.

Project Director of the Jamuna Railway Bridge Al Fattah Md Masudur Rahman said the railway bridge located 300 meters upstream of the Multipurpose Bridge was constructed for easing train movement.

At least 88 trains will be able to cross the country's longest railway bridge at high speed and uninterruptedly, he said, adding that it will save 25 to 30 minutes to cross it compared to the past.

The Jamuna Bridge, which connects the north, south, and southwest regions of Bangladesh with Dhaka, was opened in 1998, establishing a vital rail link.

However, around a decade later in 2008, cracks appeared on the bridge, leading to a reduction in train speeds.

Since then, some 38 trains have been crossing the bridge daily at a speed of just 20 kilometers per hour.

On 3 March 2020, plans were taken to construct a separate railway bridge 300 meters upstream of the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge while its foundation stone was laid on November 29 of the same year. 

The first pillar of the bridge was installed in March 2021 involving Tk16,780.96 crore.

Of the amount, the government provided 27.6% of the fund while 72.4% came from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Japanese company OTG with IHI joint venture constructed the bridge.