Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan today said train services on the Dhaka-Bhanga route will be inaugurated on October 10.
“We’ll inaugurate train service on the Dhaka-Bhanga route on October 10. The commercial operation on the route will be kicked off within a short time,” he told a press briefing at Bhanga Railway Station after reaching there on a train operated on a trial basis on the Dhaka-Bhanga route through Padma Bridge.
Deputy Minister for Water Resources Enamul Haque Shamim, Awami League presidium member Shajahan Khan MP, Jatiya Sangsad Chief Whip Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury, local lawmaker Mujibor Rahman Chowdhury Nixon, chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways Ministry Muzibul Hoque Muzib and its members Saifuzzaman Shikhar, Shafiqul Azam Chanchal and Shafiqul Islam, Railways Secretary Dr Humayun Kabir, Director General of Bangladesh Railway Kamrul Ahsan, Director of Padma Bridge Rail Link Project Afzal Hossain and other officials concerned were present at the press briefing.
The minister said the project work up to Jashore will be completed in June next year, adding, “The cost and time will be reduced through the operation of train services on the route. Then, it will be possible to utilise Mongla port completely. This railway link will contribute significantly to the country’s economy.”
He said that 64 districts of the country will be connected with the railway network in phases. The previous governments did not take any steps for the development of railway sector, he added.
Sujan said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina divided the Railways Ministry after assuming power for the second time and took various initiatives to make rail a modern, up-to-date and cost-effective public transport.
About the progress of the Dhaka-Jashore rail link stretching 172 km, he said 80 percent from Dhaka to Mawa, 96.50 percent from Mawa to Bhanga and 78 percent from Bhanga to Jashore section have been completed.
Earlier, the train started its journey from Kamalapur Railway Station at 10:07 am and reached Bhanga at 12:17 pm crossing the largest Padma Bridge via Mawa station.
“The project will be completed within June, 2024. We have already completed 99 percent of the work from Mawa to Bhanga route. The construction work of the rail route is going on rapidly,” the minister added.
