Railway Line Via Padma Bridge Opens Today

Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, is set to inaugurate the Dhaka-Bhanga railway line today, Tuesday, linking the southern part of the country to the capital, Dhaka, via the Padma Bridge.

This new railway line, opening today, will commence from Gandaria in the capital and traverse through Keraniganj, Munshiganj, Madaripur, and Faridpur, connecting with the Padma Bridge. The government has plans to extend this rail line further from Bhanga to Jashore.

The inauguration ceremony, scheduled for 11:00 am, will take place at Mawa Rail Station, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina officiating the event. She will be accompanied by cabinet members and notable individuals. Following the ceremony, she will embark on a journey from Mawa Station to Bhanga Station in Faridpur via a special train consisting of 14 coaches imported from China.

At 2:00 pm, the Prime Minister will participate in a rally organized by the Awami League's Faridpur district unit at Dr. Kazi Abu Yusuf Stadium in Bhanga.

The Padma Bridge, a double-decker bridge spanning 6.15 kilometers, opened on June 25, 2022. It accommodates vehicles on the upper deck and trains on the lower deck. The government is executing the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project (PBRLP) to establish rail connectivity on both sides of the Padma River.

Project director Afzal Hossain has mentioned that passenger train services on this new line will commence shortly after the inauguration, although a specific date has not been confirmed.

Currently, 43 out of 64 districts in Bangladesh have rail connectivity. With the introduction of the Dhaka-Bhanga rail line, Munshiganj and Madaripur will be the latest districts to gain new rail connections. When the rail link extends to Jashore, Narail will also have a new rail connection. Additionally, Bangladesh Railway is considering extending rail connectivity to Patuakhali via Barishal from Bhanga in Faridpur. Presently, no district in the Barishal division has railway connectivity.

Officials from Bangladesh Railway's operations department are planning to operate the Sundarban Express, which currently runs on the Dhaka-Khulna route, and the Benpole Express, which operates on the Dhaka-Jashore route via the Padma Bridge. These trains currently run via the Bangabandhu Bridge and Hardinge Bridge. Furthermore, the train that operates on the Rajshahi-Bhanga route may also be rerouted through the Padma Bridge to Dhaka. Authorities are also considering the introduction of commuter trains.