DEMU trains lie abandoned at Kamalapur

The Diesel Electric Multiple Unit trains, introduced with much publicity during the tenure of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, are now lying abandoned at Kamalapur Railway Station after years of technical failure, poor maintenance and lack of spare parts.

The fallen PM Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the country’s first DEMU train service on the Dhaka-Narayanganj route at Kamalapur Railway Station on April 24, 2013. The trains were brought in to ease short-distance commuting and reduce pressure on roads around Dhaka.

However, the project soon began facing criticism as the Chinese-made trains failed to deliver the expected service. Passengers complained of poor ventilation, excessive heat inside the compartments, lack of toilet facilities and difficulty boarding due to the height difference between train doors and station platforms.

Bangladesh Railway imported 20 DEMU train sets, but most of them became inoperative within a few years. Railway officials later said the authorities did not have a proper workshop, trained manpower or adequate spare parts to maintain the trains.

Several DEMU trains are now standing idle at different railway facilities, including Kamalapur. Some of the trains have reportedly been left under the open sky, with their seats and floors covered in dirt and leaves.

The failure has raised fresh questions over project planning, procurement decisions and accountability. The Anti-Corruption Commission has also filed a case against several former railway officials over allegations of causing losses to the state through the purchase of unsuitable DEMU trains.

What was once promoted as a modern commuter service has now become another example of public money being wasted due to poor planning and weak maintenance.