Skip to main content

Bangladesh railway sustainability depends on modern, secure, automated systems

By Kamal Uddin Mazumder* 

The work of checking the feasibility of running high speed trains on the Dhaka-Chittagong corridor is going on. The construction of broad-gauge railway line from Dhaka to Jessore is being implemented through the implementation of rail link on the dream Padma bridge. Not only the railways, but also the road communication system of the country is getting new milestones.
Dhaka-Chittagong double rail line has finally become a reality. The Prime Minister inaugurated the Akhaura-Laksam double line virtually from Gana Bhavan on Thursday. As a result of the inauguration of the project, it will be possible to go from Dhaka to Chittagong in just four hours. The ease of communication between the capital city of Dhaka and the port city of Chittagong will bring blessings for the country's trade and commerce. Out of the 321 km railway between the capital and the port city of Chittagong, 249 km was already double line. But since the 72 km railway from Laksam to Akhaura is a single line, it would take time to travel. That is why the initiative to upgrade it to double line is taken. However, the implementation of the project was repeatedly delayed due to various reasons. Finally, after the completion of the project, the train has officially started running on the double line from Thursday. As a result, communication between the two major cities of the country will be easier than before.
In 2015, 61 km double line to Laksam-Chinki Astana and 64 km double line to Tongi-Bhairab were commissioned in 2016. Before this, double lines were built up to Chittagong-Chinki Astana and Tongi-Dhaka. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Akhaura-Laksam Double Line project virtually from Ganobhaban at 11 am on Thursday. Railway Minister was present at Laksam station and participated in the inauguration ceremony. As 100% double line, it will be possible to operate twice as many trains through Dhaka-Chittagong railway. Naturally, the dependence on roads will decrease. Dhaka-Chittagong rail route is considered to be the most profitable route of Bangladesh Railway. Passengers can come from one city to another city and return after work on the same day. Dhaka-Chittagong double line will make a significant contribution in turning Bangladesh Railways from a loss-making enterprise to a profitable one. We hope that the authorities will take all necessary steps to facilitate Dhaka-Chittagong rail travel.
The government has approved a 30-year long master plan for sustainable development in the rail sector. Among the works that are going on according to the master plan, Padma bridge rail link, Dohazari construction of Cox's Bazar, Myanmar border railway line, Khulna-Mongla port railway line, Bangabandhu railway bridge construction and Dhaka-Chittagong high speed railway construction project and others are worth mentioning. The mentioned projects are being seriously considered. Among others, there are plans to establish rail connectivity with the 88 economic zones that the government has undertaken to establish. Apart from this, Nepal, Bhutan and a part of India are covered by regional rail communication network in Bangladesh. And the corridors through which rail communication was closed will be developed and opened.
Despite its small size, this country of 170 million people has achieved self-sufficiency in food. Not only in food, but our development in many areas is particularly admired-enviable in the outside world. However, the communication system has not yet made such a boom. We believe that a number of noticeable road improvements will probably be visible within a few days.
The Awami League in all its election manifestos had announced great hopes for rail connectivity. It has been able to implement a lot in a decade and a half of power. It has implemented big mega projects like Padma Bridge and rail connectivity to Padma Bridge without foreign loans. Among which Dhaka-Chittagong double lane, Dohazari-Cox's Bazar rail line, Dhaka Metrorail, new railway bridge to be built on Yamuna River, Kalurghat railway bridge are among the noteworthy ones. It is known that the government is implementing a 20-year development plan for the development and modernization of rail infrastructure.
According to the sources of the Ministry of Railways, Cox's Bazar, the world's longest beach, has been given the most importance in the 20-year project worth Tk 2.5 lakh crore. As per Prime Minister's instructions to promote the tourism industry of Beach City Cox's Bazar, the construction of Chittagong-Cox's Bazar railway is nearing the end. In addition, there are plans for direct train communication between eastern and western regions by establishing dual-gauge railways across the country, establishing railway lines at Bangabandhu Bridge, and constructing another railway bridge in the Bahadurabad-Phulchhari area over the Yamuna River in this 20-year master plan.
The work of checking the feasibility of running high speed trains on the Dhaka-Chittagong corridor is going on. The construction of broad-gauge railway line from Dhaka to Jessore is being implemented through the implementation of rail link on the dream Padma bridge. Not only the railways, but also the road communication system of the country is getting new milestones.
The reality is that there is no substitute for the development of the overall communication system for the economic development of a country. The easier the transportation system is in the country, the greater the economic flow of the country. Recently, there has been a breakthrough development in this regard in Bangladesh. But the authorities have to be more careful to prevent train accidents. With modern and automated systems of signaling and enhanced security at every gate, rail communication will become more attractive to the general public as a completely safe mode of transport. It is expected that this trend of development and modernization of rail communication will ccontinue.
---
*Researcher and Strategic affairs analyst, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Comments

TRENDING

Crucial to revisit roots, embrace core Hindu principles: love, compassion, harmony

A note on religious leaders'  Satya Dharam Samvad in Haridwar: *** In a groundbreaking gathering, more than 25 religious leaders including Swamis, Acharyas, Pujaris, Gurus, and Sadhvis from all over India convened to discuss the tenets of Hinduism on September 16th, 2023, in Haridwar, to discuss and discern the current trajectory of Hinduism. This brand new initiative, the Satya Dharam Samvad, was inspired to organize its first assembly in response to the December 2021 Dharma Sansad, where hate speech and calls for violence against the Muslim community contravened the essential principles of Hinduism. Religion is being used to incite riots among Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, etc. In the face of such hatred, Swami Raghavendra felt that something meaningful should be done in the present climate. 

Commodification of road accident deaths: The hidden health hazard of motonormativity

By Chandra Vikash*  Jahnavi Kandula, an Indian student from Andhra Pradesh, studying in America was killed in a road accident by a police motor car in January 2023. Now, 8 months after the accident, a bodycam video of Daniel Orderer, who is the vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, has gone viral on social media. He was laughing at her death and saying that “she was 26 years old, anyway… she had limited value… just give her $11,000 (ie Rs 9.13 lakh)”.

Maoist tendency of mechanically adhering to Chinese path ignores Indian conditions

By Harsh Thakor  The C.P.I. (Maoist) formed in 2004 with merger of the C.P.I. (M.L) Peoples War and the Maoist Communist Centre has demonstrated courage in intensity compared to any great revolutionary struggle in the history of the world. It leads the largest armed movement of a Peoples Guerrilla Army in the world today and proved themselves as the true torch bearers of the Indian Communist movement.

We need to resurrect Neruda, give birth to poets of his kind amidst neofascist rampage

By Harsh Thakor  On 23rd September we commemorate the 50th death anniversary of Pablo Neruda, whose contribution to revolutionary poetry was path breaking. Pablo Neruda’s poetry manifested the spiritual essence of revolutionary poetry and how poetry was a weapon for a revolutionary struggle. The story of his life illustrated the spiritual transformation undergone a human being to transform him into a revolutionary and how environment shapes the lie of revolutionary.

Understanding universe, time, space: A crucial, unresolved question before humanity

By Prof Sudhanshu Tripathi*  A crucial question before humanity, still unresolved, is to comprehend the true nature and expanse of Time and Space in Universe. If both are indeed limitless, there is no question then to go beyond them. Because both Time and Space are indeed the two key determinants in this mundane world which define the very expanse of the life period of all living organisms and non-living entities and their relative spatial area producing mental and extra-mental consciousness. 

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Informal efforts to help children of remote Bundelkhand village unable to go to school

By Bharat Dogra  Rajaram Ka Purva is a remote rural hamlet in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh inhabited by the poorest of the poor. Almost none of the children in this hamlet are able to go to school. The reasons relate to poverty, distance of the nearest school as well as the unsafe path to school.

2024 elections in India: An agenda for justice, peace, democracy and environment

By Bharat Dogra  As debates leading up to 2024 union elections in India preceded by some important state assembly become intense, it is not enough to talk about election alignments among various political parties and their seat adjustments; the questions relating to the most important priorities and a future agenda based on justice, equality, peace, environment protection and democracy must get the most importance.

Job opportunity in unexplored territory... to bulldoze hurdles on way to Akhand Aryavart

By Abdul Puncharwala*  Baba and Mama the Jai-Veeru Jodi of Shuddh desi politics bring an excellent opportunity of employment to all the bright matriculate drop-outs busy with their Insta and YouTube reels. Keep your phones aside for a moment and read this advert carefully. It is going to change your life forever.

By undermining Dravidian politics, can Tamil Nadu regain glory of Kamaraj governance?

By NS Venkataraman*  For over fifty years now, Tamil Nadu has been ruled by two Dravidian parties namely DMK and AIADMK alternately. Before the Dravidian party came to power, Tamil Nadu was ruled by the congress party and had experienced the golden rule by K. Kamaraj who was succeeded by Bhaktavatsalam for a short period.