Dhaka: Bangladesh Railway has announced plans to introduce two new intercity trains on the Dhaka-Pabna and Dhaka-Khulna routes. This initiative comes as part of efforts to enhance connectivity and facilitate easier travel for passengers in the western region of the country.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the initiative aligns with the recent acquisition of approximately 200 new passenger coaches, expected to be incorporated into the railway fleet this month. The expansion intends to address the prior inadequacy of train services on newly established routes such as the Jamuna Bridge-Pabna line, operational since 2018, the Dhaka-Padma Bridge route, inaugurated in 2022, and the Khulna-Mongla line, anticipated to open in 2024. These routes have remained underserved due to a shortage of available coaches.
The Ministry of Railways has expressed its intention to not only launch intercity trains on the Dhaka-Pabna and Dhaka-Khulna routes but also to consider a commuter train service on the Dhaka-Gopalganj route. Additionally, there is a proposal to extend the Dhaka-Khulna service to Mongla. Farid Ahmed, the General Manager of Western Railway, indicated that a proposal is being formulated to initiate these services.
Meanwhile, there is a growing demand from passengers in the Rajshahi and Jashore regions for the prompt resumption of suspended local train services and the replacement of outdated coaches on five existing trains. Zillur Rahman Vitu, Member Secretary of the Greater Jashore Rail Communication Development Struggle Committee, and Zamat Khan, General Secretary of the Rajshahi Raksha Sangram Parishad, have called on authorities to expedite the resumption of services and the reopening of closed railway stations.
Farid Ahmed acknowledged the challenges posed by manpower shortages but assured that steps are being taken to gradually reopen stations and resume suspended services. This includes new recruitments and the appointment of station masters on a contractual basis.