The committee was formed at a meeting at the communication ministry, with Adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin in the chair.

The committee headed by additional chief engineer (Mechanical) of Roads and Highways Department has been asked to submit its report within a month. The members of the committee are high officials from the railway, BRTC and the communications ministry.

They will find out ways to improve the standard of passenger service and modernise the railway, and recommend the systems of implementing the plan. They will also find out the reasons behind the train accidents.

A consulting firm, engaged in carrying out feasibility study on installation of cord line by establishing double lines on Dhaka-Chittagong route, submitted its report before the meeting.

The consultants recommended setting up a new cord line to Chittagong from Dhaka via Fatulla-Laksam route, by setting up double line along the existing rails between Dhaka and Chittagong, at a cost of Tk 7,800 crore.

The distance of the Dhaka-Chittagong cord line will be 228 kilometres and it will take three hours to travel between the capital and the port city.

The communication adviser said the government would consider the proposal for setting up the new line for upgrading the standard of passenger service of the railway.

"If the government takes the proposal as a positive one, a period of time would be needed to set up the new line," he told the meeting.

He urged the railway officers and employees to work with service attitude to restore the good image of railway through upgrading the passenger services for the sake of their own existence.

A number of communication experts, including eight former directors-general of Bangladesh Railway, also took part in the meeting.