Dhaka-Sylhet route to get double rail track: PM

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said that the government has a plan to develop rail communication on the Sylhet-Dhaka route. Work on this will start soon, and initiatives will be taken to establish a double railway line on the Sylhet-Dhaka route.

He said this at a public meeting organized on the premises of the Nagar Bhaban of Sylhet City Corporation on Saturday (May 2).

The Prime Minister said that the condition of the road on the Dhaka-Sylhet route is so poor that it takes about 10 hours to travel. Passengers are suffering due to the dilapidated condition of the road at various places. “I had said during the election campaign that if we form the government, we will take up the construction of the Sylhet-Dhaka road,” he added.

He further said that after forming the government, he spoke with the ministries concerned about roads and found that when the work started, there were problems in land acquisition at 11 sites where construction companies had their site offices in different locations. There are also various administrative complications. “We hope to start the work as soon as possible. It will be completed within two to three years. As a result, people will no longer have to suffer so much while travelling between Dhaka and Sylhet,” he said.

Highlighting the need for railways over roads, the Prime Minister said, “The more we expand roads, the more vehicles will come onto them, increasing traffic congestion.

In addition, agricultural land is also being destroyed due to road expansion. However, we will certainly develop roads and improve the communication system. But we want to give more importance to railways.”

Stating that the government has taken a major plan to improve healthcare in rural areas and has initiated steps to build a healthcare system based on the model of the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), the Prime Minister said, “People in cities receive healthcare, but villagers are deprived of proper healthcare services. However, we can reduce the number of sick people through awareness.

For this purpose, the government has decided to appoint 1 lakh health workers across the country. About 80 percent of them will be women. These health workers will go to marginalized people across the country and provide health awareness services.”

He further said that steps are being taken to quickly start a 250-bed hospital under Sylhet Medical College, which will later be upgraded to 1,200 beds. Industries and factories will also be expanded further in Sylhet, along with new employment opportunities in the IT sector.

Regarding waterlogging in Sylhet, the Prime Minister said the problem is not limited to Sylhet alone but is a common issue across the country. “People need to be made aware of waterlogging.

I would request the City Corporation to take various projects to ensure public services. At the same time, awareness initiatives must also be taken, such as not dumping waste materials, including plastic and polythene, anywhere,” he said.

The event was organized on the occasion of the inauguration of the flood-resistant infrastructure development project, including beautification of both banks of the Surma River in the Sylhet City Corporation area.

Sylhet City Corporation Administrator Abdul Quiyum Chowdhury presided over the meeting, which was attended by Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Labor and Expatriates Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Prime Minister’s Advisor Humayun Kabir, Parliamentary Whip GK Gauss, and City Corporation Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Rezai Rafin Sarkar.

Distinguished guests at the event included the Prime Minister’s wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman, MP Tahsina Rushdir Luna, newly elected MP Shammi Akhtar from the reserved women’s seat, and BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council member Enamul Haque Chowdhury.

Earlier, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman laid the foundation stone of a mega project worth Tk 7,500 crore, including the construction of a sluice gate at the canal-river junction connected to the Surma River and a protective embankment covering a 15-kilometre area on both banks of the river near Queen Bridge in the city, aimed at protecting Sylhet divisional city from flooding.

Later, he inaugurated the re-excavation work of the Basia River in Kandigaon Union of Sylhet Sadar Upazila and also inaugurated the “New Bud Sports” facility at Sylhet District Stadium.