Cox’s Bazar, 3 more dists to get new trains
Bangladesh Railway is going to launch four intercity trains from Dhaka to Noakhali, Lalmonirhat, Sylhet, and Cox's Bazar, a new destination that will soon come under rail network.
The arrival and departure schedules have already been fixed for the trains that are expected to start operating by December to enhance the country's railway services, BR sources said.
BR's launch of the new trains will take place weeks before the general election.
A proposal for the four intercity trains has been submitted to the railways ministry, and it will subsequently be forwarded to the Prime Minister's Office for approval, BR Director General Quamrul Ahsan told The Daily Star yesterday.
BR sources said the proposal includes suggestions of several names and possible launch dates for each of the trains and that the prime minister will make the final decision.
The schedule for the trains has been incorporated into a new timetable, which is expected to be implemented soon, sources added.
Currently, BR operates some 300 trains, including 106 intercity trains, to various destinations daily.
According to BR documents, the train on the Dhaka-Sylhet route will make only two stops -- Dhaka airport and Sreemangal -- taking 5 hours and 30 minutes to complete its journey.
Currently, BR operates four intercity trains on the route.
The train on the Dhaka-Noakhali route will make stops at Dhaka airport, Narsingdi, Bhairab Bazar, Brahmanbaria, Akhaura, Kashba, Cumilla, Laksham, Nather Petua, Sonaimuri, Bajra, Chowmuhani, and Maijdee Court.
It will take 5 hours and 40 minutes to complete its journey. Currently, BR operates one intercity train on the route.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, at a rally in Lalmonirhat's Patgram in 2011, promised to bring Burimari under the rail network, BR sources said.
To fulfil that promise, BR is going to launch an intercity train on the Dhaka-Lalmonirhat route that will make stops at Dhaka airport, Joydebpur, Tangail, Bangabandhu Bridge East, Baral Bridge of Ullapara, Natore, Santahar, Bogura, Sonatala, Bonarpara, Gaibandha, Bamandanga, Pirgacha, and Kaunia.
It will take 9 hours and 30 minutes from Dhaka to Lalmonirhat and 9 hours and 50 minutes for the return journey.
"We will then operate local and commuter trains to take passengers from Lalmonirhat to Burimari," a BR official said, wishing not to be named.
Currently, BR operates one intercity train on the route.
BR has built a new rail line between Chattogram's Dohazari and Cox's Bazar, and the prime minister is scheduled to inaugurate the line on November 11.
The state-run transport authority is going to launch a train on the Dhaka-Chattogram-Cox's Bazar route that will make two stops -- Dhaka airport and Chattogram -- taking 8 hours and 10 minutes for the journey.
The train service is likely to launch in early December, sources said.
Since 2009, when Awami League took power, the BR has launched 143 new trains and extended routes of 44 other trains, according to official documents.
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