In an effort to expand rail connectivity in the country’s south-western region, the government is planning to set up a new 190-km railway line from Dhaka to Jessore through the Padma River, reports UNB. 

According to officials, the government thinks that the expansion in rail infrastructure will support the country’s long-term development agenda and this rail network will meet the expected increase in public transport ridership in the south-western region. 

Director General of Bangladesh Railway Md Amzad Hossain told UNB that the proposed rail line would stretch from Dhaka to Jessore through the Padma Multipurpose Bridge via Mawa of Munshiganj and Bhanga of Faridpur. 

He said the feasibility study and design of the new railway track have already been completed as the plan is there to implement the proposed railway project in two phases -- first from Dhaka to Bhanga and then from Bhanga to Jessore. 

The Railway DG said that work for formulating the Development Project Proforma (DPP) for the project is going on. 

Asked about the possible financier of this mega project, he said it is not possible right now to reveal the possible financier and the implementation firm, but he hastened to add that the finance might come from China in this regard and the decision to this end is yet to be taken. 

Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh wrote a letter to the Railways Minister Mohammad Mazibul Hoque on 18 January 2015 expressing the interest of China Railway Group Limited (CREC) for implementing the project. 

In the letter obtained by UNB, it is stated that in Bangladesh the CREC is undertaking a project to construct a double line rail track from Tongi to Bhairab Bazar, which is going on smoothly and giving them good experience of working locally in cooperation with Bangladesh partners. 

The letter, signed by Economic and Commercial Councillor of Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh Wang Zijiang, also mentioned that the Padma Bridge project has been awarded to China Major Bridge Company of CREC Group and things are being mobilised to the satisfaction of the employer. 

‘Considering the above, it would be advisable to the Embassy, if the interest of the same group for the subject project could be considered favourably by your esteemed Ministry for the Success and smooth execution of both projects,’ the letter added, which was also forwarded to the secretary of the Railways Ministry and Bangladesh Railway director general. 

Contacted, railways ministry secretary Mohammad Munsur Ali Sikder said that there were some proposals from China and JICA for the proposed project, but the decision is yet to be taken in this regard as the Ministry is scrutinizing the proposals. 

He said the government also has plan to set up some other important railway tracks like Dhaka-Cox's Bazar, Khulna-Mongla, Aakhaura-Agartala, Kulaura-Shahbazpur and Dhaka-Chittagong Express Line and decision over these proposed important projects would be taken on priority basis. 

China Railway Group Ltd is a professional state-owned company, with business covering railway survey design, construction and installation, real estate development, financial investment and other fields.

CREC has implemented more than 4,000 projects both at home and abroad in more than 60 countries, including in Tanzania, Poland, Jordan, Papua New Guinea and Algeria.