Dhaka Chattogram electric train design finalized, awaiting funding
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman spoke during Wednesday’s parliamentary session. Photo taken from video.
The government will introduce electric trains to reduce travel time and distance between Dhaka and the port city of Chattogram.
The design work for operating the trains has already been completed. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said funding is now awaited.
He made the remarks on Wednesday, September 9, in response to a starred question from Mohammad Enamul Haque, a member of parliament from the Chattogram 12 constituency, during a parliamentary session.
Enamul Haque asked whether the government had plans to introduce electric trains to reduce travel time and distance between Dhaka and Chattogram, the lifeline of the country’s economy. He also asked when the plan would be implemented if such a plan existed.
In response, the prime minister said, “The feasibility study and detailed design preparation for installing electric traction to operate electric trains on the Chattogram Dhaka corridor have already been completed. After securing the necessary funding to implement the project, a detailed action plan and schedule for the project will be determined.”
The head of government said, “To reduce the distance on the Dhaka Chattogram corridor, work on the feasibility study and detailed design preparation for constructing a chord line from Dhaka to Cumilla is ongoing. Once the project is implemented, the distance between Dhaka and Chattogram will be reduced and the average speed will increase. Therefore, travel between Dhaka and Chattogram will be possible in less time.”
The prime minister also said the government has taken steps to convert the railway line from Dhaka to Chattogram into a dual gauge double line.
He said, “Under these measures, the feasibility study and detailed design preparation for constructing dual gauge double lines from Tongi to Akhaura and Laksam to Chattogram have already been completed. Meanwhile, the Laksam Chattogram Dual Gauge Double Line Development Project proposal is being processed for approval. In addition, preparation of the DPP for the Tongi Akhaura Dual Gauge Double Line Project is at the final stage.”
Tarique Rahman expressed hope that, “If these two projects are implemented, Bangladesh Railway’s passenger transportation capacity and train speeds on the Chattogram Dhaka corridor will increase.”
