Dhaka:The Ministry of Railways has announced active measures to reclaim illegally occupied land belonging to Bangladesh Railway (BR). Currently, 3,024 acres of BR land have been encroached upon, as revealed during the second meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Railways, chaired by Mohammad Ali Asgar at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the ministry is also focusing on the planned use of its unused land through leasing and licensing, an ongoing process under the established land management rules. Last fiscal year, leasing 25,083 acres of land generated Taka 87.72 crore. The introduction of railway state management software aims to ensure better land management and facilitate the recovery of occupied lands.
A special committee is being formed within the Western Zone's Estate Department to identify and address illegally occupied land in the Pakshi and Lalmonirhat divisions. Coordinated efforts with district administrations and police are planned to tackle potential drug-related activities on railway properties.
The meeting also covered topics such as online railway ticket sales and measures to prevent e-ticket smuggling. Container transportation on the Chattogram-Dhaka route continues, though the number of freight trains has decreased due to a shortage of meter-gauge locomotives. To address this, a Development Project Proposal for 30 new locomotives has been approved, with an additional tender for 30 more. By 2029, the procurement of these locomotives is expected to enhance freight train capacity.
Furthermore, the railway will soon receive 200 broad-gauge coaches, with 18 already delivered, which may lead to launching services on the Mongla-Dhaka route. Shohoz.com currently manages online ticket sales, but a new tender for online ticket management is planned before their contract expires next February. The meeting was attended by State Minister Habibur Rashid and MPs Abdul Muhit Talukder, Esrat Sultana Elen Bhutto, and Muhammad Azizur Rahman, among others.