Govt plans major expansion of passenger train services

City Desk :
Railways Minister Md. Zillul Hakim on Monday said the government has a plan to procure necessary engines and passenger carriages to increase the number of trains to facilitate the movement of people.

He said this while responding to a written query raised by treasury bench lawmaker Nurunnabi Chowdhury which was tabled at the Jatiya Sangsad, reports BSS.

Zillul Hakim said an agreement has already been signed with the suppliers for procurement of 200 broad gauge passenger carriages from India.

Apart from this, the works are underway to take a project for the procurement of 260 broad gauge passenger carriages, 454 meter gauge passenger carriages, 46 broad gauge rail engines and 50 meter gauge rail engines is in progress, he said.

In response to another question from treasury bench lawmaker Ali Azam, the minister said Bangladesh Railways is working with the aim of providing safe and comfortable transport services at low cost to the mass people of the country.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her visit to the Ministry of Railways gave directives to bring all the districts of the country under the rail networks, he mentioned.

In order to bring various districts of Barishal division under the railway network, Hakim said, alignment has been finalized through the project titled “Feasibility study with detail design and tender document preparation for the construction of rail line from Bhanga to Payra Port via Barisal”.