Dhaka, Sept 12 -The government has undertaken a master plan to bring 15 districts, having no railway lines, under the railway network to establish rail links.Railway Minister Md Mazibul Haque said this while replying to a starred question from treasury bench member AFM Bahauddin (Nasim) of Madaripur-3 in the Jatiya Sangsad today.
“As many as 44 districts have so far been brought under the railway network while a scheme is being undertaken to bring the remaining districts under the railway network in phases,” he said.
The minister informed the House that the government has approved a 20-year master plan (July 2010-June 2030) for the overall development of the Bangladesh Railway network throughout the country.
“Some projects under the Bangladesh Railway are ongoing and some projects would be undertaken soon. If all the projects could be implemented by 2022 then nine more districts (Munshiganj, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Meherpur, Satkhira, Barisal, Bandarban, Cox’s Bazar and Narail) would be brought under railway network,” he said.
Mazibul said six more districts including Sherpur, Jhalokathi, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Patuakhali and Barguna would be brought under Bangladesh Railway network after implementation of the master plan.
The ongoing projects taken by the government are construction of dual gauge single rail line from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar via Ramu and from Ramu to Gundam near Myanmar, rehabilitation of Kalukhali-Bhatiapara section, setting up of new rail line between Kashiani-Gopalganj-Tungipara, construction of rail line from Khulna to Mongla, rehabilitation and construction of Pachuria-Faridpur-Bhanga rail line and installation of new rail line from Ishwardi to Dhalarchar via Pabna, he said.
Besides, the Padma bridge railway connection project had already been taken, while a feasibility study is being conducted for construction of railway line from Bhanga to Payra Port via Barisal, the minister told the House.
He said construction of dual gauge railway line on Akhaura-Agartala section, while a feasibility study is ongoing for setting up dual gauge railway track on Jalanihat station-Chuet-Kaptain of Chittagong section and Navaran of Jessore to Munshiganj via Satkhira section.
The minister, however, said a plan has been initiated to construct new dual gauge railway line from Bagora to Shaheed M Mansur Ali station. – BSS
