United News of Bangladesh

Recalling his difficult road journey back to Dhaka from Sylhet during the election campaign, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday said his government has started work to improve both road and rail connectivity between the two districts to make travel faster and more comfortable. “During the election campaign, I came to Sylhet by plane but I returned by road. The road condition between Sylhet and Dhaka is so poor that the journey can take nearly 10 hours,” he said while addressing a gathering at the Sylhet City Corporation. At the time of election campaign, the Prime Minister said he promised that if his party could form the government, it would take up the road construction work. He said that after assuming office, he spoke to the ministry concerned and learned that the project had been delayed due to land acquisition problems at 11 points, particularly for setting up site offices for the companies involved. “There were also some administrative complications.” “However, the ministry concerned has already taken the necessary steps. I hope we will be able to begin the work very soon. It will take some time, but we expect to complete it within the next few years. Once completed, people will no longer have to endure such hardship while travelling by road between Dhaka and Sylhet,” he added. Tarique, also the chairman of BNP, said rail connectivity is also being prioritised to reduce travel costs and ease pressure on roads. “If we improve railways, travel will become cheaper for people and businesses will be able to transport goods at lower cost,” said. Tarique also said expanding roads alone would not solve transport problems, as more vehicles would continue to increase traffic congestion. He also said Bangladesh is densely populated with limited land and as an agriculture-based country, excessive road expansion can reduce fertile land. “We must maintain food self-sufficiency. So while we will improve roads and connectivity, we also want to develop the railways,” the Prime Minister said. He said the government is also working on introducing a double rail line on the Sylhet-Dhaka route. “Of course, we will develop roads and improve the transport system, but we also want to develop the railway. I am sure you will be interested in the development of Dhaka–Sylhet rail link or the Sylhet–Dhaka rail system. We are trying to see how a double line can be introduced in Sylhet,” the Prime Minister said. He also spoke about efforts to reduce waterlogging in Sylhet City Corporation and stressed the importance of cleaning drains and removing waste, including plastic and polythene. The Prime Minister urged city corporations to raise awareness, especially among schoolchildren, about waste management and environmental protection. “Children learn quickly and carry those habits into adulthood. If we teach them properly, they will also influence their families,” he said. Referring to the project to develop both banks of the Surma River at Chandni Ghat in Sylhet, including beautification and flood protection infrastructure, he said he hopes it will help ease the waterlogging problem in Sylhet city. “I believe that once this project is implemented, Sylhet will be free from waterlogging. It will help protect city dwellers from floods and water congestion,” he said. Tarique also highlighted concerns over excessive use of underground water, warning that it is gradually lowering groundwater levels in urban areas, including Dhaka and Sylhet. He said the government’s canal excavation programme aims to address water management issues by improving natural water flow and creating water reservoirs. The Prime Minister said the government is only about two and a half months old and compared its early stage to a very young child that cannot yet walk and needs time to develop. Tarique said despite this, the government has already started implementing the promises made to the people. He mentioned initiatives such as Family Cards, Agriculture Cards, Sports Cards, and allowances for Imams and Muazzins, adding that other projects will also be gradually implemented. He expressed confidence that with hard work, Bangladesh can be developed like advanced countries, and said the government is moving forward with that belief. Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Labour and Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, the Prime Minister’s Adviser Humaiun Kobir , and Chief Whip of Parliament G K Gaus spoke at the programme, with Sylhet City Corporation Administrator Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury in the chair. Prime Minister’s wife Zubaida Rahman, MP Tahsina Rushdir Luna, newly elected reserved seat MP Shammi Akhter, and BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council member Enamul Haque Chowdhury, among others, were present.

Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan said on Thursday that trains from across the country will soon go to Cox’s Bazar as the Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar rail line will be opened to public within June next year. The minister said this while talking to journalists at the station in Cox’s Bazar after visiting the Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar railway project on Thursday. “Rail connection with Cox’s Bazar, which was once a dream is finally on its way to fulfillment. Like the people of Cox’s Bazar, people from all over the country are waiting eagerly to go there by train. I hope that the work of laying down rail tracks will end within the stipulated time,” Sujan said. The minister added that the government has taken up a new project to purchase high quality tourist coaches for the Cox’s Bazar route. Read: Much-loved train journeys to Cox’s Bazar likely in 2 years “We’ll buy a total of 54 coaches with large windows so that people travelling to Cox’s Bazar can enjoy the natural beauty from their seats. About 80  percent work of this project has been completed already,” Sujan added. The minister visited different floors of the railway station being built in Cox’s Bazar. Project officials said that the construction work of the railway building will be completed within April, 2023. Later, Sujan inspected 30 kilometres of rail tracks by an inspection car. As of yet, 60km rail tracks have been laid down. According to project officials, a total of 100km single line and dual gauge rail line is being constructed between Dohazari and Cox’s Bazar. There will be 39 major bridges and 242 culverts in this rail line. Besides, underpasses and overpasses are being built for the movement of elephants. Read: Dhaka-Cox's Bazar train service still a distant reality as project limps along Once established, the Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar rail line will connect the region with Trans Asian Railway. The entire nation will come under rail connectivity with Cox’s Bazar, the topmost tourist place of the country. Besides, the rail track will ease the transportation of fish, raw materials of rubber, salt and other agricultural products to and from the coastal district. Member of Parliament Shaimum Sarwar Kamal, Additional Director General (ADG) of Bangladesh Railway (BR) Kamrul Ahsan and Managing Director (MD) of BR (East) Jahangir Hossain, among others, were present during Sujan’s visit.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami on Monday discussed with Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan boosting cooperation in rail communication between their two countries. The two discussed the current and future projects taken up by the Bangladesh government under Indian finance. The Indian HC proposed to launch a fourth interstate rail service at the meeting at railway minister’s office. The Indian envoy said that at present, three trains named Maitree, Bandhan and Mitali Express are running between the two countries. Due to demands from the passengers, another train can be added to the fleet. The Railways Minister’s recent India tour also came up during the discussion. Sujan said that during his tour, he had visited a factory where modern railway coaches were being built. Sujan expressed his eagerness to buy high quality tourist coaches from India for the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route. He also expressed his interest to buy railway engines and luggage vans under Indian line of credit (LoC). Read: Dhaka, Delhi will soon be connected through 6 rail links: Shringla During the discussion, Sujan stressed the need for strengthening Bangladesh’s connectivity with Nepal and Bhutan. With this in mind, the minister put emphasis on strengthening the Chilahati-Haldibari rail route. A new rail line is being built between Panchagarh and Banglabandha. The Indian government is yet to fix the place where the rail line will end. The minister urged the Indian envoy to ramp up the process of selecting the site. Read: Bangladesh-India train connectivity resumes after 2 years Sujan and Doraiswami also discussed various projects undertaken by the Bangladesh government under Indian LoC, including Bogura-Sirajganj rail lines, Khulna-Mongla rail lines, and the third and fourth rail lines from Dhaka to Tongi.   Md Humayun Kabir, secretary of the Railways Ministry and Dhirendra Nath Majumder, Director General (DG) of Bangladesh Railway were present at the meeting. 

Bangladesh and India on Sunday started regular operation of freight trains through restored Haldibari-Chilahati rail route, aiming to "strengthen rail connectivity and bilateral trade" between the two countries.  It will also enhance rail network accessibility to the main ports and dry ports to support the growth in regional trade and to encourage economic and social development of the region, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on Sunday.  Read:After 56 yrs, Bangladesh-India rail link to reopen Sunday The Haldibari- Chilahati rail link is the fifth rail link between Bangladesh and India that has been made operational. The commodities that can be exported from India to Bangladesh through this rail route include stones and boulders, food grain, fresh fruits, chemical fertilizer, onion, chilies, garlic, ginger, fly ash, clay, limestone and wood. From Bangladesh to India all exportable commodities are permitted. Indian Railways dispatched the first freight train loaded with stones from Damdim station of Northeast Frontier Railway to Bangladesh. After the partition in 1947, 7 rail links were operational between India and the then East Pakistan (up to 1965).  Read:BR Masterplan: Riding train to a prosperous future?

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Saturday reiterated the importance of enhancing connectivity for facilitating regional economic integration for the benefit of all parties involved. To facilitate better connectivity and simplify movement of passengers and goods between the two neighbouring countries, both leaders agreed to an early operationalisation of the BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement through expeditious signing of the enabling MoU for Bangladesh, India, and Nepal to commence the movement of goods and passengers, with provision for Bhutan to join at a later date. India expressed gratitude for Prime Minister Hasina’s initiative of revitalising the pre-1965 rail connectivity as well as for Bangladesh’s support for the numerous connectivity initiatives through rail, road and waterways, according to joint statement issued on the occasion of the visit of Prime Minister of India to Bangladesh. In the same spirit, Bangladesh reiterated its eagerness to partner in the ongoing initiative of the India–Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway project. Bangladesh side also requested India for favourable consideration of the new connectivity routes proposed by Bangladesh, namely allowing additional land ports of Bhadrapur-Bairagi Galgalia, Biratnagar-Jogmani and Birganj-Raxaul to be connected with Banglabandha-Fulbari and Birol-Radhikapur by road as alternative routes. India was also requested to consider connecting Birol-Radhikapur and Rohanpur-Singhabad rail-interchanges with Biratnagar-Jogmani as this would help reduce the distance and cost of transportation of goods by rail from Bangladesh to Nepal. Bangladesh side also sought rail connectivity with Bhutan through the newly inaugurated Chilahati-Haldibari route. Also read: Hasina seeks fair share of Teesta water

The Khulna-Mongla Port Rail Line project will be completed within December this year and be opened to traffic.