Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi jointly opened the newly constructed Akhaura-Agartala Dual Gauge Railway Link Project, setting a significant milestone in cross-border connectivity. The important rail connection would contribute to boosting trade, business and tourism between the two neighbouring countries.The 12.24-km rail connection has linked Gangasagar Railway Station at Akhaura in Brahmanbaria to Nischintapur Railway Station at Agartala in India, connecting the northeastern region of India and Bangladesh. Israel must stop killing of Palestinian women and children: PM Hasina The railway link, with 6.78 km in Bangladesh’s part, was constructed under a joint venture of Bangladesh and India. The Akhaura (Bangladesh)-Agartala (India) railway line construction started in July 2018. The two prime ministers unveiled the Akhaura-Agartala cross-border rail link, joining an event from Ganabhaban in Dhaka and New Delhi through a virtual platform. We are determined to hold free and fair vote: PM Hasina tells South Asian ECs The two PMs also inaugurated two other Indian-aided projects --Khulna-Mongla Port Railway Construction Project and Unit-2 of Rampal Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant in Bagerhat. The 65-km railway from Khulna to Mongla port in Bagerhat would streamline goods transportation to the port. This railway will help transport Mongla port goods affordably within the country and support trade with India, Nepal, and Bhutan, contributing to regional economic growth. The Khulna-Mongla railway project began in September 2016. The second unit of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant Rampal would add 660 megawatt electricity to the national grid. The Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant-2 and the 65-kilometre Khulna-Mongla Port Railway Link have been implemented under the Indian LoC (Line of Credit) while the Akhaura (Bangladesh) and Agartala (India) Railway Link with Indian grants. PM Hasina denounces Israeli attacks on Palestine, calls for ending the war The Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant, known as Rampal thermal power plant, with a total capacity of 1,320 MW in two units was implemented under a joint venture of the two neighbouring countries.

The railway network of Bangladesh is set to see a major development next month, as the newly-constructed Khulna-Mongla track will be inaugurated on November 1. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will officially inaugurate this railway line virtually, Ahmed Hossain Masum, chief engineer of the project, told media. Read: Kaptai hanging bridge in Rangamati opens to tourists after over one month Before the official opening, a trial train will go from Khulna’s Phultala to Mongla this afternoon, he added. Some final works will be completed soon, said the chief engineer. Rafiqul Haque, assistant engineer of the project said, local people living on both sides of the rail line were informed on Sunday about the trial train movement today (October 30, 2023). Read: Chinese-built railway opens via Bangladesh's Padma Bridge The project was approved at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on December 21, 2010. Work began in November, 2016.

Train movement on the Dhaka-Narayanganj rail route is set to resume on August 1 after suspension of nearly eight months. Railway Minister Md. Nurul Islam Sujan said this while talking to reporters Chashara railway station after visiting the work on Dhaka-Narayanganj dual gauge double railway line and Padma Bridge rail link project on Tuesday morning. He said that the coordination with the Padma Bridge rail link project caused some delays in the dual gauge line's construction. Dhaka Metro Rail a symbol of Japan’s contributions to Bangladesh’s fast development: Nishimura Yasutoshi The minister said that the dual gauge single line is currently being upgraded to a double line one to expedite the overall project. The work on both projects is being carried out simultaneously to ensure swift progress. He hoped that the dual gauge double line work will be completed within the scheduled timeframe by June of the following year. Railways to utilize electricity in push to modernize Furthermore, the railway minister said the Padma Bridge rail line will be completed by 2024. He said that a trial run of train movement from Kamalapur to Bhanga is expected to commence in the first week of September, followed by an official inauguration by the Prime Minister. In addition to the Dhaka-Narayanganj route and the Padma Bridge project, the Minister also revealed plans for a major project from Khulna to Mongla and from Dohazari in Chattogram to Cox's Bazar. First phase of Metro Rail test run from Agargaon to Motijheel underway Last year, Bangladesh Railway announced that the Dhaka-Narayanganj train services would be halted for 3 months starting from 4 December due to the work on the Padma Bridge rail line project over Narayanganj.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday (July 20, 2023) said the government has no intention to obstruct the political programmes of BNP-Jamaat, but won’t spare them if they repeat any destructive activity. “We will not obstruct them in doing politics and are not doing so as well. But they won’t get spared if they set fire to rails again or make any damage to the people,” she said, referring to the violence unleashed by the BNP-Jamaat  during the 2013-2015 period. The premier made the warning while opening train movement on the newly constructed 72-km dual-gauge double rail line, which was built under the Akhaura-Laksam Double Track Project. Also read: Efforts on to bring home money laundered by BNP leaders: PM Hasina She joined the inaugural function at Laksam in Cumilla through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganabhaban. With the newly constructed 72-km dual-gauge double track, the entire 321-km Dhaka-Chattogram corridor has turned into a double lined one increasing its operational capacity, which will save travelling time by 30 minutes to one hour on this route.  Hasina said there will be cameras everywhere and the culprits will be identified and punished properly in case of any destructive activity. Also read: Staying away from corruption can make possible the impossible: PM Hasina tells govt officials Terming BNP and Jamaat the terrorist parties,  Hasina said they know how to destroy but they don’t know how to create anything or serve the people. “They know how to plunder, commit corruption and make self-gains,” she said. The prime minister asked the people of the country to remain alert so that they can stay protected from the hands of terrorist BNP-Jamaat. “We want the country to be protected from their hands,” she said. Also read: Need to transform education system to build Smart Bangladesh: PM Hasina tells educators The PM said that BNP-Jamaat set fire to railways in 29 places during their arson violence unleashed to thwart the 2014 general election. She said many train operations were suspended during the BNP-Jamaat regime, but the AL government took massive steps to improve the sector considering that train journeys are comfortable and cheap for the common people. PM Hasina said her government formed a separate ministry for railways in order to increase allocation to the sector. “In the last 14 and a half years, we constructed 740 km new rail lines, converted 280 km meter-gauge rail tracks into dual-gauge ones, and reinstalled or reconstructed 1,308 km rail lines reinstalled,” she said. Also read: Govt is always with you: PM Hasina tells businesspeople Besides, the AL government constructed 126 new station buildings, reconstructed 223 stations buildings, constructed 732 new railway bridges, reinstalled or reconstructed 774 railway bridges in the time, she added. The PM said her government collected 111 locomotives, 588 passenger carriages and 516 wagons (for carrying goods) since 2009. “We’ve commissioned 143 new trains on different routes,” she said. She said the government is implementing several mega projects in order to enhance the regional and local railway communication and networks. Also read: Reach sewage treatment facilities outside Dhaka too: PM Hasina directs authorities “We’ve taken initiative to collect 46 new broad-gauge locomotives, 460 new broad-gauge passenger carriages, 150 new meter-gauge passenger carriages, 125 new modern luggage vans, 1,310 new wagons,” said the premier. Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan chaired the event from Laksam end, while LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Tazul Islam (local MP from Laksam-Monohorgonj) and Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq (local MP from Akhaura-Kashba) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) country director for Bangladesh Edimon Ginting spoke on the occasion. PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin conducted the function and Railways Secretary Humayun Kabir delivered the welcome speech. Also read: PM Hasina inaugurates South Asia's largest STP in Dhaka's Dasherkandi  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday (June 4, 2023) flagged off a new intercity train named 'Chilahati Express' on Dhaka-Chilahati-Dhaka route in a bid to strengthen the connectivity between the northern region with the capital and expand the business in the area. The premier commissioned the Chilahati Express through a virtual platform, joining an event at Chilahati Railway Station from her official residence Ganabhaban. Read more: PM strikes defiant tone in face of US pressure The Chilahati Express, having the capacity of 800 passengers, will run on Dhaka-Chilahati-Dhaka route six days in a week. Now freight trains and cross-border train ‘Mitali Express’ run on the Dhaka-Chilahati route. Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan spoke at the function from Chilahati end in Nilphamari, while lawmaker Asaduzzaman Noor MP (Nilphamari-2) and other local MPs, among others, were present there. Read more: Govt’s efforts on to keep economy vibrant despite global recession: PM Principal Secretary Tofazzel Hossain Miah conducted the event, while Railways Secretary Muhammad Humayun Kabir delivered the welcome speech from Ganabhaban end.

Three people including two members of a family were killed when a bus hit a motorbike at Mansurabad in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur district on Sunday. The deceased were identified as Moin Uddin Sheikh, 35, his daughter Tabassum, 10 and Sourav Matabbar, 16, son of Miraj Matabbar of Nagarkanda upazila. Helal Uddin Bhuiya, additional superintendent of Faridpur (Bhanga circle) Police, said the accident occurred around 12:30 pm when the Dhaka-bound bus of ‘Star Line Paribahan’ from Gopalganj hit the motorbike coming from opposite direction, leaving two riders dead on the spot and the girl injured. Also read: Bangladesh 88th among 183 countries in road accident death rate: Minister Injured Tabassum was taken to a local hospital where doctors pronounced her dead. Agitated local people put up barricade on the road and set the bus on fire after the accident. On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.  

Rail communications between Chilahati-Mongla will be inaugurated by June 2023, according to Railway Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujon. “People from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan can easily travel or carry their goods from Mongla port to Chilahati. The development work of the rail route is going on and I hope it will be completed by June,” he said. The railway minister came up with the information while visiting the Chilahati Station and Chilahati-Haldibari Railway Development project, involving Tk 140 crore, in Domar upazila of Nilphamari district. Chilahati-Haldibari railway services have remained under suspension since 1965 but after assuming power, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken a plan to resume the rail services, he said. Already an inter-city train from Chilahati-Dhaka is running in the night but the residents of the Nilphamari district have long been demanding for a day-time train there, he added. The minister also assured of meeting the demand. Read more: Jatri Kalyan Samity demand 50% cut in metro rail fare

Train communications between Khulna and other parts of the country resumed almost two hours after the derailed compartment of an oil-carrying train in Jashore was recovered Thursday night. Around 6:35pm, a compartment of a Khulna-bound train derailed near Jashore Railway Station, Station Master Ainal Hossain told UNB.   The oil-bearing train arrived from Parbatipur with 36 compartments. The No. 31 compartment derailed as the train crossed Jashore town's Railgate area, the station master said. The compartment could be retrieved almost two hours later, and train operation on the route resumed around 8:20pm, Aynal added.  Also read: Freight train derails in Kushtia                    

Rail communication of Netrakona district with other parts of the country has remained suspended since Saturday morning as a rail bridge collapsed in Mohonganj upazila of Netrakona district due to flood. Golam Rabbani, station master of Barohatta Rail Station, said the no 23 rail bridge between Mohonganj and Atitpur Rail Station collapsed in the morning due to strong current of floodwater. READ: Floods in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrakona likely to deteriorate further in 24 hours: Forecast Inter-city train services of ‘Mohonganj Express’ from Netrakona was suspended while a local train from Mymensingh and Haor Express’ train got stranded at Barohatta Station and Mohonganj station respectively, causing immense sufferings to commuters. Meanwhile, 39 unions of six upazilas of Netrakona district have been flooded due to onrush of hill water from upstream and heavy downpour  in the district, rendering one lakh people marooned.

Rail communication between Khulna and other parts of the country, which was disrupted following a derailment at Uthli in Jibannagar upazila of Chuadanga district, resumed after 11 hours of suspension on Monday afternoon. The train services had remained suspended since 1 am as five bogies of an oil-laden train, KN-17, from Khulna veered off the tracks in Jibannagar upazila, said Ali Ahmed, the stationmaster on duty at Uthli railway station. No causality was reported from the incident, but four trains got stranded in Darshana, Ansarbaria and Sabdalpur Station following the incident. Also read: Derailment: Rail communication between Khulna and rest of the country suspended A rescue train from Ishwardi reached the spot around 8 am to clear the tracks by removing the bogies.