Commercial trains to run on Dhaka-Bhanga route via Padma Bridge from 1 Nov

Commercial train service on the 82-km Dhaka-Bhanga route through Padma Bridge will begin from 1 November. The new route is now ready to transport passengers and goods.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the train route on 10 October.

The 82-km railway from Dhaka to Bhanga in Faridpur district under the Padma Bridge Rail Link construction project fulfilled the long-cherished dream of the people of southwestern region of the country.

Padma Bridge Rail Link Project’s director Md Afzal Hossain said this is another milestone in the country’s infrastructure development that also connected the southwestern region of the country.

Once the rail link becomes fully operational, it will save travel time between Dhaka and Jashore, Khulna and other districts by half, helping make a major boost to the country's railway connectivity.

The rail link will contribute significantly to the country's economy, as 64 districts of the country will be brought under the railway network in phases, Md Afzal Hossain stated.

He further said that in the first phase, Sundarban, Benapole and Madhumati express trains will ply along the route.  Madhumati express will cross Padma north and go to Rajshahi via Bhanga. Sundarban express will go to Khulna via Padma Bridge and Benapole express will go to Benapole in Jashore via Padma Bridge.

There are 10 stations from Dhaka to Bhanga and the stations have already been modernised.

Meanwhile, the country's largest station, Bhanga railway station, with three floors is being constructed at a cost of Tk 2 billion. This station is a hub consisting of 12 platforms and has all kinds of measures to ensure passengers’ safety and service. Trains will run through the ground floor of the station building.

Bhanga new railway station has been equipped with state-of-the-art computer based interlink system, which will increase the capacity of the track as well as ensure the safety of train movement.

As a result of the construction of this railway, the journey distance from Dhaka to Khulna will be reduced by about 215-km and the distance between Dhaka and Jashore will  be reduced to 193-km, Md Afzal Hossain added.

The new railway will be connected as a domestic route as well as an inter-country route.

Not only domestic connections, this new railway line will also be used as an international route. With the integration into the Trans-Asian Corridor, the capacity for cargo transportation will increase in future. To utilise the opportunity, the government is building 18 economic zones in the southwest region.

The state-of-the-art railway will create seamless transportation of goods with the country's three seaports – Chittagong, Mongla and Payra and the largest land port, Benapole, and it will directly connect to Dhaka, Afzal added.

Already 97.5 per cent work of Mawa-Bhanga section, 85 per cent work of Dhaka-Mawa and 80 per cent work of Bhanga-Jashore sections have been completed.

He also said that the work of Bhanga to Jashore railway section is progressing fast and over 85 per cent work has been completed.  It is expected that the rest of the work will be completed by June next year.

The railway project has 20 stations. The construction of all the stations is in the final stage. It is expected that all 10 stations of the Dhaka-Bhanga section will come into operation on 1 November.

Installation of elevators and escalators is progressing fast for passenger services.