The government has taken a project to bring three districts of the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) -- Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban -- under the railway network for making life in the remote hilly region easier. Initially, officials said, Rangamati will be connected with the railway network and Bangladesh Railway has already started work on setting up a 42-km rail track in the district which is expected to end by 2026. General Manager (Eastern Zone) of Bangladesh Railway Md Jahangir Hossain said Bangladesh Railway will construct the 42-km rail link from Raozan upazila to Rangunia via Kaptai involving Tk 8.926 crore. Read: Dual gauge railway from Bogura to Sirajganj under LoC soon He said the Economic Relations Division (ERD) has contacted the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jaica) seeking a loan amounting to Tk 7,141 crore for the much-needed project. Recently, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Railways Ministry and Chattogram-6 constituency MP ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury said Rangamati will be brought under the country’s railway network. “The government has taken the project to ease transportation of goods produced in Rangamati to Chattogram city and other parts of the country, and ensure train services for tourists,” he said while speaking at a programme at Kumira in Sitakunda upazila. The government also has a plan to connect Khagrachchari and Bandarban districts with the country’s railway network, he said. “The government has planned to establish 55 new railway stations across the country and 26 of these will be set up in the eastern region. Besides, train service will be launched from Nazirhat to Ramgarh Land port,” he added. Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujon at a programme in Dhaka recently said the government has taken a project titled “Janalihat-Cuet-Kaptai Dual gauge Rail Tracks” and a preliminary development project proforma/proposal (PDPP) has been prepared.

Rail communication between Dhaka and Chattogram, which remained suspended for seven hours following the  derailment of a train bogie on a level crossing near Paduar Bazar Biswa Road rail overpass in Cumilla, was restored on Sunday morning. Ismail Hossain Siraji, in-charge of Cumilla Railway Police camp, said a bogie of the Chattogram-bound train veered off the tracks around 2 am after collision with a mini truck while it was passing the level crossing, disrupting the rail communication on the route. However, no causality was reported. The rail communication resumed around 9:20 am with the movement of Chattogram-bound Bijoy Express. Liakat Ali Majumdar, assistant engineer of Cumilla Railway Division, said the rest of the bogies were sent to Cumilla Railway Station and Laksham Junction. Read: Train derailed in Gazipur, disrupts rail communication A relief train from Laksham Junction rushed to the spot and conducted salvage operation. Read: Derailment halts Kushita-Rajbari train services Meanwhile, the railway authorities have formed a 4-member body, headed by Snehashish Das Gupta, Transport officer of Chattogram East Railway Division, to probe the incident. The committee has been asked to submit its report within Sunday(today).

The government has taken a massive move to upgrade the railway network of the country as within the land communication system, the railway sector is considered as the safest, comfortable, affordable and environment-friendly means for transporting passengers and goods. Considering the importance of railways as a means of public transport in meeting the demands of the country's large population , the government has been taking a range of steps to ensure balanced and integrated development of the sector.  Read: Special cattle train starts on Chapainawabganj-Dhaka route As part of the 30 year revised master plan (2016-2045) of Bangladesh Railway, Cox's Bazar, Mongla Port, Tungipara, Barisal, Chattogram Hill Tracts and other parts of the country will be brought under the railway network. The plan spans the period earmarked for Bangladesh, having graduated to become a middle-income nation, to take the next step and becoming a prosperous nation (Vision 2041). Under the master plan, 230 projects will be implemented in six phases at a cost of Tk. 553,662 crore (5.5 trillion)- nearly the size of the entire national budget passed recently for the current fiscal (2021-22).  According to an official document, the government is going to construct 798.09 km of new railway lines, 897 km of dual gauge/double railway lines parallel to existing railway lines. Read Railway launches luggage van to transport vegetables It will also rehabilitate 886.51 km of railway lines, construct nine important railway bridges, and construct level crossings.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has written to Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan requesting him to take an initiative for bringing Chatak, Sunamganj and Mohanganj areas under a railway network.  Five lawmakers from Sunamganj have recently written a letter to the Railways Minister regarding the expansion of railway network and later the Foreign Minister wrote a separate letter supporting the lawmakers' demand.  "It appeared logical to me what the five lawmakers mentioned," Dr Momen wrote in his letter to the Railways Minister.  Read:Free Hasina Movement: FM recalls difficult days in Boston, NY Agreeing with the five lawmakers of Sunamganj, the Foreign Minister made a special request to the Railways Minister for connecting Chatak Sadar Dowara Bazar, Sunamganj Sadar to Mohanganj in the railway network, a senior government official told UNB. He said the current planning Minister MA Mannan also agreed on establishing a rail link with Chatak, Sunamganj and Mohanganj.  The Foreign Minister mentioned that the current government began its work to establish uninterrupted railway networks in each district of the country.  Such initiatives added a new dimension to the country's communication system, he said. Read: Bangladesh to get over 10 lakh AstraZeneca doses from COVAX: FM "I believe it will enrich the overall communication system of the country if Chatak, Sunamganj and Mohanganj are brought under the railway network," Dr Momen mentioned in his letter.  In 2011, the then Railways Minister Suranjit Sengupta announced establishing railway network in Chatak, Sunamganj and Mohanganj.  Later, railway officials visited the sites several times.