BR hires joint venture firm for feasibility studies of 11 sub-projects

Bangladesh Railway today hired a joint venture firm to carry out preparatory works for several expansion projects, including building a new line from Dhaka to Cumilla via Narayanganj.

Project Director Mahbubur Rahman and Yuji Asano, representative of the firm signed the contract at Rail Bhaban in presence of Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan.

The consortium of Japan's Oriental Consultant Global, France's EGIS and Malaysia's HSS will carry out the feasibility study and detailed design for 11 sub-projects.

They will do the works within 30 months at a cost of Tk 193.64 crore.

The new line (chord line) from Dhaka to Cumilla via Narayanganj to shorten the distance between the capital and the port city.

The line will reduce the distance between Dhaka and Chattogram by 90 kilometres and travel time by one-and-a-half hours, say BR officials.

The existing Dhaka-Chattogram rail line, which goes through Tongi-Bhairab-Akhaura-Cumilla-Laksham, has a distance of 320 kilometres.

Apart from the chord line, the consulting firm will, among others, carry out the feasibility study and detailed design for a new bridge parallel to the existing century-old Hardinge Bridge over the Padma river in BR's western zone.

The Hardinge Bridge, which has been in use for 110 years and counting, is one of the many structures built by the British imperialists. It is a historic structure and has special significance in Pabna.