United News of Bangladesh

The much-sought train service connecting Khulna and Dhaka via the Padma Bridge officially began operations on Tuesday.  The inaugural journey of the Jahanabad Express started from Khulna Railway Station at 6:00 AM with an expected arrival time of 9:45 AM at Dhaka Railway Station. The new service, part of the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project, is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Khulna and Dhaka, marking a major milestone in Bangladesh’s rail connectivity. An official ceremony at Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka was attended by  Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Adviser to the Ministry of Railways, who inaugurated the service.  With the launch of two passenger trains—the Jahanabad Express (Khulna-Dhaka-Khulna) and the Ruposhi Bangla Express (Benapole-Dhaka-Benapole)—train journey in the region is now faster and more efficient.  Much awaited train service to begin on Benapole-Dhaka route via Padma Bridge Tuesday The Ministry of Railways said the new route via the Padma Bridge will cut travel time to just under four hours.  Travellers said this is a significant improvement compared to the current travel time of 9 hours 30 minutes from Dhaka to Khulna via Tangail and Ishwardi, and 7 hours 35 minutes to Benapole via Rajbari. Train Schedules The Jahanabad Express (Train No. 825) departs Khulna at 6:00 AM and arrives in Dhaka at 9:45 AM. On its return journey, Train No. 826 departs Dhaka at 8:00 PM and reaches Khulna at 11:40 PM. Along the way, it stops at Noapara, Singia Junction, Lohagora, Kashiani Junction, and Bhanga Junction stations. Similarly, the Ruposhi Bangla Express (Train No. 828) departs Dhaka at 10:45 AM and reaches Benapole at 2:30 PM. On its return, Train No. 827 departs Benapole at 3:30 PM and arrives in Dhaka at 7:10 PM, with stops at Jessore Junction, Narail, Kashiani Junction, and Bhanga Junction. Both trains are equipped with 12 coaches, accommodating 768 passengers.  Advance tickets are available online and at designated station counters since Saturday (Dec 21).  The trains will operate six days a week, with a weekly break on Mondays. New Dhaka-Khulna train services via Padma Bridge to launch on Dec 24 Boost for Regional Travel The inauguration of this service heralds a new era for rail travel in Bangladesh, offering passengers a faster, more comfortable alternative for long-distance journeys. The new trains are expected to enhance connectivity, reduce travel costs, and boost trade and tourism between Dhaka, Khulna, Benapole, and surrounding regions.

Two new passenger train services will be launched from Dhaka to Khulna and Benapole via Kashiani Junction through Padma Bridge on December 24. The Ministry of Railways announced this in a press release on Wednesday. 'Jahanabad Express' on Khulna-Dhaka-Khulna route and 'Ruposhi Bangla' Express on Benapole-Dhaka-Benapole route will travel regularly, keeping a one-day break in a week. New commuter train service launched on Dhaka-Gazipur route Benapole can be reached from Dhaka via Khulna in just four hours by this newly launched train. Dhaka-Khulna trains took eight hours via the Padma Bridge rail link, as they passed through Bhanga junction, Poradah, Faridpur, and Rajbari. Older route via the Jamuna Bridge took 14 hours. Mother with 8-month-old infant jumps in front of train in Gazipur; both dead The new trains are expected to significantly reduce travel time. Passengers will reach Khulna or Benapole from Dhaka in approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes. Tickets will be available starting December 21 at 8 pm through station counters, online platforms, and mobile apps.

Aiming to introduce the Dhaka-Khulna direct link, the final trial run on the 87-km route from Bhanga to Jashore through Padma Rail Bridge reached Khulna on Sunday. The train with 12 compartments left from Dhaka Kamalapur rail station around 9:10 am and reached Khulna station around 1:10 pm with a speed of 100 km per hour via Narail. It will travel from Dhaka through the Padma Bridge and will touch the Bhanga-Narail-Jessore routes before reaching Khulna. With this, the train will reduce the distance from Dhaka to Khulna by rail. Excitements were seen among the passengers and business persons with the operation of the rail through Bhanga-Narail-Jashore via Padma Bridge from Dhaka. Secretary to the Railway Division Abdul Baki, Railway Director General Sardar Shahadat Hossain, Railway West zone managing director Mamunul Islam and high officials were present at the train. Thanking the residents of this region, Abdul Baki said: “We have successfully completed three trials. We observed that it took 3 hours 45-50 minutes. All senior authorities and technical officers were present during the trial. We plan to start commercial train services on this route in the first week of December.” Sardar Shahadat said it is not yet finalised the number of trains that will operate on the Dhaka-Khulna route via Padma. “We are facing a shortage of sufficient compartments. To meet the demand, we will need to coordinate our operations. We will try our best to provide maximum service to the people with the available resources." Sources said, the train will travel at 100 kilometers per hour from Faridpur’s Bhanga Junction to Padmabila Station in Jessore while the train will run at a speed of 75 kilometers per hour from Padmabila to Singia and then to Khulna. Govt to deploy retired law enforcers for Dhaka traffic: Home Adviser On October 10, 2023, a portion of the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project was opened, enabling train services from Dhaka to Bhanga, covering an 82-kilometer rail route. Now, an additional 87 kilometers from Bhanga to Jessore will be added, creating a direct rail link between Dhaka and Jessore, covering a total distance of 169 kilometers.