Hasina-Modi To Inaugurate Cross-Border Railway Link

Bangladesh is achieving a significant milestone in cross-border connectivity as it unveils a crucial railway line on Wednesday (November 1).

This 12.24 km rail connection, with 6.78 km located in Bangladesh, links Gangasagar Railway Station in Brahmanbaria's Akhaura to Nischintapur Railway Station in India's Agartala, connecting the northeastern region of India and Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi will inaugurate the project at a virtual event on Wednesday morning.

New Delhi has been keen to establish the Akhaura-Agartala cross-border rail link as it would pave the way for connectivity between India's West Bengal State and Tripura through Bangladesh.

Apart from this, two more Indian-assisted development projects will be inaugurated on this occasion.

One of these key projects is the 65 km railway from Khulna to Mongla port in Bagerhat, which will streamline goods transportation to the port.

Furthermore, the second unit of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant in Bagerhat’s Rampal will be inaugurated, adding 660 MW of electricity to the national grid.

The Akhaura-Agartala railway line construction started in July 2018, and it has cost around Tk 2.41 billion to complete the project.

After the opening, cargo trains will start running, and passenger train services will be introduced later.

The Khulna-Mongla railway project began in September 2016, spanning about 90 km and costing Tk 42.6 billion. This railway will help transport Mongla port goods affordably within the country and support trade with India, Nepal, and Bhutan, contributing to regional economic growth.

The Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant, known as Rampal thermal power plant - a joint venture of the two neighbouring countries - was built at a cost of Tk 160 billion, with a total capacity of 1,320 MW in two units.

After the first unit started production in December 2022, the plant was shut down at least six times for repair work because of a shortage of fuel. The trial production of the second unit began on Oct 24.