Padma Bridge: Maiden train trip from Bhanga to Mawa takes less than 2 hrs

The authorities have successfully completed a trial run of a train on the Padma Bridge from Bhanga station in Faridpur to Mawa station on Tuesday. It took a bit less than two hours to cross the 42 kilometer stretch. 

The special train, comprising seven compartments with railways minister Nurul Islam Sujan and other guests on board, left the Bhanga station for the Padma Bridge around 1:21pm and reached Mawa at 3:15 pm.  

Before the trail run, the railways minister shed light on development works carried out by the current government and said prime minister Sheikh Hasina is fulfilling her dreams one by one. 

The authorities would start train operation from Bhanga to Dhaka in September, after inauguration by the prime minister. Later, the rail track would be extended to Jashore by June 2024.

Deputy minister for water resources Enamul Haque, chief whip Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury, lawmakers Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, Iqbal Hossain, Sagufta Yasmin, Abdus Sobhan, Faridpur deputy commissioner Kamrul Ahsan Talukdar, and superintendent of police Shahjahan were also present on the occasion. 

Brigadier Sayeed Ahmed, project manager of the Mawa-Bhanga section of the Padma Bridge rail link project, said, “We were three months late in starting the project works. Still we are happy to finish it on time. Already we have completed 92 per cent of the work in this section and the remaining works will be completed in time.” 

Rabiul Alam was the locomaster of the first train trip on the Padma bridge. The train reached the Bhanga station from Syedpur station in Iswardy the previous night for the trial run.

According to the Padma Bridge rail link project sources, a 42-km railtrack has been installed from Bhagana to Mawa via the Padma Bridge. Four stations and one junction are under construction in the section.