Railway dues Tk 12,600cr
As many as 240 government and private organisations owe over Tk 12,600 crore to the Bangladesh Railway, Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain told the House yesterday.
Replying to lawmakers' queries, the communications minister said most of the organisations did not pay heed to the railway's repeated appeals to pay back the money.
In a scripted reply, the minister said 206 out of the 240 organisations are government bodies and the rest are private companies.
The major heads of dues are siding charges, level crossing, duty charges for delay, under charges, licence fees, sale of railway land and commission bills for unloading goods.
On realising the huge amount, the minister said the ministry has been trying to this end since 1994 and a committee was also formed to figure out how to realise the money.
"But most of the organisations did not take any effective steps till now to pay the money" he added.
About the ministry's latest move, Abul Hossain said several inter-ministerial and inter-division committees were formed in November last year to realise the money.
On improving railway service and network, he told the House the ministry has moved to purchase 689 railway passenger coaches and 60 locomotives by 2013.
He added 10 new districts -- Cox's Bazar, Munshiganj, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Narail, Barisal, Satkhira, Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandarban -- would come under railway network within next five years.
"Besides, the remaining 10 districts will also be included in the railway network in future," the communications minister said.
On the much-talked-about metro rail, the minister said civil work in this regard is likely to kick off by 2014 and the service would be launched by 2018.
The minister also said the government is actively considering introducing Dhaka-Kathmandu direct road communication.
Besides, the government has taken initiatives to set up 50-kilometre-long railway track from Khulna to Mongla port so that India, Nepal and Bhutan can use the seaport, he added.
On introduction of electric train service between Dhaka and Chittagong, the minister informed the House that preliminary development project proforma/proposal (PDPP) for the project was sent to the Planning Commission.
"On approval of the PDPP and availability of fund, necessary steps will be taken to introduce electric railway service in the country," the minister said.
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