Dhaka to Chattogram by train in three and a half hour

Although the distance between Dhaka and Chattogram is currently 248 kilometres by road, the railway route extends to 320 kilometres. At present, trains take between five and six hours to travel from Dhaka to Chattogram.

To shorten this lengthy journey, the long-discussed Dhaka–Cumilla Cord Line, or direct railway connection project, has once again come to the forefront.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury announced the project in the proposed national budget for fiscal year 2026-27.

According to Bangladesh Railway officials, implementing the project would reduce the Dhaka–Chattogram rail route by nearly 80 kilometres and reduce travel time to approximately three and a half hours.

The officials emphasised that this is not merely a passenger transport project.

They believe it could also become a crucial piece of infrastructure for future freight transportation associated with Chattogram Port, the planned Bay Terminal, and the Matarbari Deep-Sea Port.

During his budget speech in the Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament), the finance minister stated that Bangladesh Railway had already completed the feasibility study for constructing a cord line on the Dhaka–Cumilla section of the Dhaka–Chattogram railway corridor.

Among three proposed alignments, planners have provisionally selected a route extending from Shyampur in Narayanganj to Cumilla.

The budget speech further stated that freight trains carrying goods from Chattogram Port, the Bay Terminal, and the Matarbari Deep-Sea Port would be able to use the existing Chattogram–Feni–Cumilla–Brahmanbaria–Bhairab–Narsingdi railway line to connect directly with the proposed Dhirashram Inland Container Depot (ICD).

This connection would strengthen both the national economy and the country's logistics sector.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), in its election manifesto, pledged to revitalise the railway system as the central backbone of the national transport network. The budget speech reflected that commitment.

However, the budget did not specify any separate allocation for the project, its estimated cost, or a timeline for implementation.

Railway officials said they are currently preparing the detailed design for the project. They aim to finalise the Development Project Proposal (DPP) by June next year.

At present, trains travelling between Dhaka and Chattogram operate via Cumilla, Brahmanbaria, Bhairab, and Narsingdi. As a result, the railway route is considerably longer than the road route.

According to Bangladesh Railway, passenger trains require between five and six hours to travel from Dhaka to Chattogram.

In practice, various operational factors often increase the journey time further. Meanwhile, following the opening of the four-lane highway, road travel in many cases now takes less time than rail travel.

The proposed cord line would bypass the lengthy Akhaura–Bhairab detour and establish a direct railway connection through Dhaka–Narayanganj–Cumilla.

This would reduce both travel time and transportation costs for passengers and freight services alike.

According to information published by Bangladesh Railway and various media outlets, the concept of the Dhaka–Chattogram Cord Line is not new.

Discussions first began in 1968. Although successive governments revived the proposal at different times, none advanced it to the implementation stage.

Speaking about this, Bangladesh Railway Director General Md Afzal Hossain told Prothom Alo, “We have completed the feasibility study. Among the three alternative alignments, we have provisionally selected a route from Shyampur in Narayanganj to Lalmai in Cumilla. This route will reduce the distance between Dhaka and Chattogram by 80 to 90 kilometres and save approximately two hours of travel time.”

Md Afzal Hossain added, “We will also move forward gradually with the necessary preparatory work, including land acquisition, to implement the project.”

The Dhaka–Chattogram corridor is the country's most important economic corridor. Chattogram hosts Bangladesh’s principal seaport.

The planned Bay Terminal and the Matarbari Deep-Sea Port will further expand the region’s strategic importance. Once these facilities become fully operational, demand for freight transportation will increase substantially.

Business leaders in Chattogram have long argued that, despite hosting the country’s principal seaport, the city still lacks a fast and reliable railway connection with the capital.

Consequently, freight transportation remains heavily dependent on road networks.

At present, freight trains require between 12 and 15 hours to travel between Dhaka and Chattogram. In some cases, shortages of locomotives and train services force businesses to wait even longer.

According to Bangladesh Railway data, the freight transportation sector has not achieved its expected level of growth.

In the previous financial year, Bangladesh Railway generated Tk 723.1 million in revenue from freight operations.

In the current financial year, revenue has declined to Tk 650.9 million, despite a target exceeding Tk 2.27 billion.

During the first eight months of the 2024–25 financial year, 1,838 freight trains operated on the network. During the same period of the current financial year, only 985 freight trains operated.

In other words, the number of freight trains has fallen by almost half within a year. During the same period, Bangladesh Railway had set a target of transporting 199,715 wagons but transported only 49,476 wagons.

Railway officials identify locomotive shortages as the principal cause of this decline. Although operations require an average of 13 locomotives each day, only three to four are available.

As a result, freight train services face continual disruption, and businesses are losing confidence in rail transport.

According to railway officials, the introduction of the cord line would allow operators to run more trains within the same timeframe. This would increase capacity for both passenger and freight transportation.

Business leaders in Chattogram have advocated the construction of the cord line for many years.

Amirul Haque, president of the Chattogram Chamber, told Prothom Alo, “The implementation of the Dhaka–Chattogram Cord Line will bring a transformative change to both passenger and freight transportation. As economic activities continue to expand around Chattogram Port, the Bay Terminal, and the Matarbari Deep-Sea Port, the country also requires railway connectivity that matches this growth.”

“The announcement of the project in the budget has made us optimistic. However, to address the logistics challenges of the future, there is no alternative to a 10-lane expressway,” he added.