Nearly 82 km of stretch of rail route from Dhaka to Bhanga via Padma Bridge is completely ready to provide train services. A special train will travel on a trial run on the route today, Thursday.
The railways minister and other high officials of the ministry will go to Bhanga as passengers in the train that left Rajbari for Kamalapur in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Many people thronged at the Rajbari station to have a look at the train that will cross the Padma Bridge for the first time.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Hridoy Khan, an onlooker, said people from this region have long been dreaming to travel from Rajbari to Dhaka by train, and that dream is coming true, which is matter of joy.
According to Rajbari rail station sources, the train was at the station on Tuesday night.
People gathered at the station to see the train, many took pictures and video of it. The train left the Rajbari rail station for Dhaka at 10:50 am on Wednesday.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Tanmay Kumar Dutt, station master of Rajbari rail station, said the train has a locomotive and eight compartments. It is scheduled to leave the capital’s Kamalapur for Bhanga at 9:00 am today, Thursday.
Sources concerned said, the movement of train on Dhaka-Bhanga route via Padma Bridge will officially start on 10 October and prime minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the rail line on that day.
The Bangladesh Railway has constructed a 172km-long new rail tracks from Dhaka to Jashore under Padma Bridge Rail Link Project. The 82km part of this rail route connecting Dhaka with Bhanga will open for train communication while the remaining portion connecting Jashore is likely to open in June next year.