BR plans expansion of services to Khulna, Jashore

Bangladesh Railway is planning to increase trips on the Dhaka-Khulna and Dhaka-Jashore routes as the Dhaka-Jashore rail line via Padma Bridge is likely to be opened in mid-November.
The 179-km line is expected to be opened any time after November 15 in a big boost to rail connectivity between Dhaka and the country’s south-western region.
Upon inspection of the line from Bhanga to Jashore last month, the government inspector of Bangladesh Railway (GIBR) has given report and the project authority is now finishing tasks as per the GIBR’s comments.
Any new rail line needs to get a nod from the GIBR before launching operations.
“The entire line will be ready for operation by November 15 and we hope that the line will be opened in between November 15 and 20,” Project Director Afzal Hossain told The Daily Star today.
Railways sources said unlike during the previous Awami League government, there would no major programme marking the opening of the line and even the chief adviser may not join the programme.
So, the railway ministry’s adviser will fix the date, they said.
Once the rail line becomes functional, the distance between Dhaka and Jashore will decrease by 200km from the existing route, cutting the travel time in half. Currently, it takes over eight hours to reach Jashore.
Bangladesh Railway (BR) is constructing the 169-km broad-gauge single-line from Dhaka to Jashore via Padma Bridge at a cost of Tk 39,247 crore.
The project named Padma Bridge Rail Link Project is the biggest project for BR in terms of cost, over half of which is being provided by China as a loan.
The original deadline for the project was June 2022 and the latest deadline was June this year.
The Dhaka-Bhanga section of the line was opened in October last year and five trains are being operated through this section. The project tenure has already been extended up to June 2025.
MORE TRAINS ON SOUTH-WESTERN ROUTES
BR is now preparing its next timetable (No-54) — a book containing detailed schedules and timing of all trains — and the timetable will have timing of some new trains to be launched on the south-western routes.
BR official yesterday held a meeting over the issues.
Contacted, BR’s Director General Sardar Shahadat Ali said they were preparing the next timetable keeping the new Dhaka-Jashore line in mind.
“We are planning to increase trains on the Dhaka-Khulna and Dhaka Jashore routes,” he told The Daily Star today.
He said Sundarban Express is now being operated (up and down) via the Padma Bridge-Bhanga-Faridpur-Poradah-Jashore-Khulna route.
Once the Dhaka-Jashore line is opened, they will increase the trips of the Sundarban Express. The inter-city train will leave Dhaka for Khulna twice daily and from Khulna to Dhaka twice per day as the running time between Dhaka and Khulna will be around four hours, he said.
Besides, the Benapole Express is now being run via Padma Bridge-Bhanga-Faridpur-Poradah-Jashore route. “We are planning to add another train on this route,” he said.
He said they will increase the number of trains on other routes via the Padma Bridge gradually.
BR sources said they may not able be to reap the full benefit of the expensive project soon mainly due to shortages of manpower and carriages.
According to the feasibility study of the project, at least 24 pairs of trains can be operated on the line daily once the entire 169km line is opened. But BR may not launch the expected number of trains on the routes via Padma Bridge due to lack of locomotives and manpower, they said.
Asked about the possible date of opening the line, the BR DG said they hoped the line will be opened any time after mid-November.