Dhaka:The government plans to construct an 81-kilometre elevated railway line from Shyampur in Dhaka to Cumilla in order to shorten the Dhaka-Chattogram rail distance by 80 kilometres and reduce travel time by approximately 1.5 to two hours.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Prime Minister's Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman disclosed the plan at the weekly press briefing at the Press Information Department. The proposed double-track broad-gauge railway line will have a maximum design speed of 160 kilometres per hour and an operational speed of 140 kilometres per hour, with provisions for future high-speed electric trains.
The initial estimated cost of the fully elevated railway project is Tk 83,901 crore, and construction is expected to take four years after land acquisition is completed. The elevated structure is anticipated to save around 322 acres of land, and an initial proposal for the project was submitted to the Ministry of Railways on October 5.
The briefing also mentioned the beginning of nationwide data collection to develop a central database under the Family Card programme, which aims to cover an estimated 4.45 crore families by December. The database will incorporate near-field communication (NFC) and quick response (QR) code technologies to facilitate women's empowerment and strengthen social protection.
The government has allocated Tk 14,500 crore for the programme in the 2026-27 fiscal year, including Tk 12,300 crore for direct allowances. An additional 40 lakh women heads of households will be included in the programme during the current fiscal year, with the aim of covering all eligible household heads within three years. Senior Deputy Principal Information Officer Most. Mobassera Kadery and officials from the relevant ministries attended the briefing.