HPM Sheikh Hasina inaugurates new non-stop train service in DHK-CTG route

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the train service at a function a city's Kamalapur Station. She also inaugurated replacement of the "Silk City" train service on Dhaka-Rajshahi route with newly procured broad-gauge carriages.

Addressing a function on the occasion, she said the train service would add a new chapter to the country's communication sector. It will be a new delight for the people to go to their village home by new train and celebrate holy Eid-ul-Fitr happily with near and dear ones.

The Prime Minister said her government has salvaged the railway from ruin after coming to power in 2009. BNP and Jamaat government on recommendation of the World Bank and some other donor agencies virtually closed the rail services on most of the routes.

Sheikh Hasina said rail and river routes are lifelines of Bangladesh's economy. But the WB and donors suggested closing the easy modes of communications in their pity interests. "The World Bank had opposed rail line on Bangabandhu Bridge, but I didn't accept their proposal," she said.

"Now the rail line is one of the most viable routes of the Railway, and seeing its viability the WB has come up with new proposal for construction of a separate rail line beside the Bangabandhu Bridge," the Prime Minister said adding that donors can provide money, but cannot understand which is good and which is bad for us."

LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Railway Minister Mujibul Haque, Secretary of the Railway Ministry Firoz Salauddin and Director General of Bangladesh Railway M Amjad Hossain also spoke on the occasion.

Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon, mayors of Dhaka Anisul Huq and Sayeed Khokan, Chief of Bangladesh Army Staff General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla, among others, were present.

The train services were introduced with the newly procured carriers from Indonesia and India. Bangladesh Railway procured 100 meter-gauge and 170 broad-gauge rail coaches with the financial support of Asian Development Bank and Indian line of credit.

Sonar Bangla Express will have only one stoppage at Airport Station in the capital, and will travel from Dhaka to the port city in five hours and 40 minutes. First nonstop train 'Subarna Express' started operation on Dhaka-Chittagong route in 1998.

Highlighting the development of Bangladesh Railway during the tenure of her government, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her government has taken necessary steps to connect Bangladesh Railway with regional and sub-regional rail lines and Trans-Asian railway network.

After taking office in 2009, her government floated 55 new projects involving Taka 62,890 crore and 45 revised projects at Taka 42,601 crore, she said.

With the projects, she said, necessary steps were taken for construction of new lines, procurement of rolling stocks, recruitment of necessary manpower side by side with rehabilitation of all dilapidated rail lines, opening of the closed lines and construction of double lines.

So far, 98 new trains were introduced while services of 26 trains were expanded, she said, adding that 20 new meter-gauge and 26 broad-gauge locomotives, 120 passenger carriages, 165 broad-gauge and 81 meter-gauge tank wagons, 270 meter-gauge flat wagons and 20 set meter-gauge DEMU trains were procured during the tenure of the present government.

Reiterating her government's preparations for constructing rail lines on Padma Bridge, the Prime Minister said the proposed rail lines from Dohajari, Chittagong to Gundum, Myanmar would be a reality very soon fulfilling a cherished dream of the people of the region since 1954.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has a plan to build rail lines up to Barisal and it's not far away when the country would have high-speed train. Feasibility studies on underground train and electric train are going on, she said.

The Premier extended her sincere thanks to ADB, JICA, Indian government and other donor agencies for their support for development of Bangladesh Railway.

She particularly mentioned Indian government's line of credit (LOC) of US$ 3 billion for the development of the railway, saying it is indeed a great "testimony of regional cooperation".

The Prime Minister recalled the contribution and sacrifices of the officials and employees of Bangladesh Railway to the War of Liberation asking the officials to take steps for preservation of memories of the war heroes.

Later, the Premier visited different compartments of the trains. She also inaugurated the South U-loop of Hatirjil Project at Pragati Sarani and a new loop of Khilgaon Flyover at Kamalapur.