PM opens Dhaka-Bhanga rail service
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated the train service on the 82-km Dhaka-Bhanga route through Padma Bridge.
The prime minister announced the inauguration of the new route from Mawa Railway Station in Munshiganj on Tuesday (10 October) morning.
With this, the rail service via Padma Bridge went into operation approximately fifteen months after opening the landmark Padma Bridge in June last year.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Following the inauguration, the premier purchased tickets and boarded a special train at Mawa railway station bound for Bhanga in Faridpur. She, at the time, was accompanied by cabinet members and other dignitaries.
The prime minister is scheduled to join the rally arranged by the Faridpur District Awami League at Kazi Abu Yusuf Stadium today around 2pm.
Commercial train movement on the route will begin soon, although the exact date has not been decided yet.
Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen and local MP (Munshiganj-2) Sagufta Yasmin Emily spoke on the occasion, while Railways Secretary Dr Md Humayun Kabir delivered the welcome speech.
After the formal unveiling of the newly built railway line over the country's longest bridge, the prime minister boarded a special inauguration train to travel to Bhanga, where she was greeted by thousands of jubilant people.
Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan said the newly introduced railway link will contribute significantly to the country's economy, as it will connect Mongla port."We will bring 64 districts of the country under the railway network in phases. The previous BNP government did not take any step for the development of the railway sector," he noted.
Bangladesh Railway is constructing the 172-km-long new rail tracks from Dhaka to Jashore under the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project and its 82-km part connecting Dhaka and Bhanga was opened today while the remaining portion connecting Jashore is likely to be launched in June next year, according to the project details.
On 7 September, the trial run of a special train on the Dhaka-Bhanga route through the Padma Bridge was completed.
Earlier, Bangladesh Railways ran a trial train from Bhanga to Mawa end of Padma Bridge on April 4 after the completion of the stoneless railway line on the Padma Bridge.
On 14 October last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction work of the rail link between Dhaka and Jessore under the 'Padma Bridge Rail Link Construction Project' as the project cost is estimated at Tk39,246.80 crore while Exim Bank of China is providing Tk21,036.70 crore as loan.
The railway connectivity will improve accessibility to the capital city with central and southwestern regions of the country through Padma Bridge, covering new areas of Munshiganj, Shariatpur, Madaripur and Narail districts, the project details said.
It added that the project will establish alternative railway connectivity linking Dhaka-Jessore-Khulna with a 212.05 km shorter route.
It will also establish another sub-route of the Trans-Asian Railway Network in Bangladesh and introduce national, regional and international freight and BG container train service as this route will be free from speed and load restrictions for carrying containers.
