POSITION PAPER ON

BANGLADESH RAILWAY

Md. Monirul Islam FiroziDirector (Engineering)Bangladesh Railway

Ahmed MurshedJoint Secretary

Ministry of Railways

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Presentation Sequence

Brief of Bangladesh Railway

• Operational Information

• Vision, Historic Land Mark, Major

Regional Connectivity Related to Bangladesh

• TAR, SAARC, SASEC, BIMSTEC, BCIM, SILK ROUTE

• Opportunities of Bangladesh to be Transport Hub

Major Initiatives for Regional Connectivity

• Impediments and Initiatives

• Progress, Issued to be Addressed for Connectivity

Brief about Bangladesh Railway1947: India and Pakistan separated

1961: Renamed as Pakistan Eastern Railway.

1862: Started its journey as Eastern Bengal Railway with 53.11 km Jagoti-

Darsana BG Rail link.

1972: Started providing services as Bangladesh Railway.

1998: East-West Railway connectivity over river Jamuna was established

from the day of opening Bangabandhu Bridge.

2003: Direct BG train communication between East and West zone was

established over Bangabandhu Bridge.

2007: Bangladesh signed TAR agreement.

2008: Direct passenger train “Maitree Express” between Dhaka and Kolkata

established.

2011: Ministry of Railways formed under SRO-361.

Covers and connects 44 Districts of the country out of 64 Districts.

2015-2016: 71 mi Passengers and 2.55 mi tonnes freight carried by BR.

Operational Information of Bangladesh Railway

• East Zone: 1308.27 km

• MG: 1273.38 km

• BG: 0.00 km

• DG: 34.89 km

• West Zone: 1568.83 km

• MG: 534.67 km

• BD: 659.33 km

• DG: 374.83 km

Two Zones: East and West Zone

• Dhaka

• Chittagong

• Paksey

• Lalmonirhat

Operational Division: 4 divisions

• 2877.10 km

• MG: 1808.05 km

• BG: 659.33 km

• DG: 409.72 km

Total Route Kilometer:

Existing Railway Network

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On 23 June 1998: The first

revolutionary development in BR

was to connect east and west zone by rail link through

Bangabandhu Bridge.

On 14 August 2003: Direct BG train communication

between East zone (Joydevpur) and

West Zone (Rajshahi) was

started.

On 14 April 2009: BG Trains

come Dhaka directly after

Dhaka-Joydevpur

section was converted into

dual gauge.

Padma Bridge Project

Historic Land Mark

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Vision

• To expand and improve the railway system to provide safer, better, a more environment friendly and cost effective transport facility to the national and international traffic. Foster international rail links to serve regional/sub-regional connectivity and Trans Asian Railway.(perspective plan)

• To play an important and dominant role in an integrated transport system by emphasis its strength.(Master Plan)

Strategy to Achieve the Vision

• Gauge conversion and maintenance enhancement-Regional Integration

• Unlocking line capacity-Signal and Telecom

• New Rail line construction

• Rolling stock procurement and maintenance enhancement

• Establishment of RDS Unit

• To increase market share

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Corridors in Bangladesh Railway

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Vision

▪ To establish Trans-Asian Railway network and SAARC, BIMSET,

SASEC etc. regional railway corridors through Bangladesh.

▪ To achieve seamless movement of freight and passengers

across borders.

▪ To establish transport hub in Bangladesh.

Establishment of Regional connectivity

Objectives

• To establish a Preferential Trade Area with South Asian Countries

by Improving railway Connectivity, Interoperability, Interchange-

ability etc.

• To fast track regionalisation within South Asian countries to

reduce Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs).

• To harmonise Legal, Commercial and Technical Standards.

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Regional Connectivity Relating to Bangladesh Railway

TAR Network

SAARC Route

SASEC Corridors

BIMSTEC

BCIM Route

Silk Route

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ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations

BIMP-EAGA Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area

CAREC Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation

GMS Greater Mekong Subregion

IMT-GT Indonesia Malaysia Thailand Growth Triangle

PIF Pacific Islands Forum

SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

Note: Map not to scale

Regional Transport

Connectivity

in South Asia

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There are 8 (Eight) interchange points between India and

Bangladesh, namely

1. Darshana (BR)-Gede(IR) are in operation

2. Benepole(BR)-Petrapole(IR) are in operation

3. Rahonpur(BR)-Singabad (IR) are in operation

4. Birol(BR)-Radhikapur (IR) are in operation from 08 April 2017

5. Shahbazpur(BR)-Mohishashan (IR) are closed since 07.07.2002

6. Chilahati(BR)-Holdibari(IR) are closed since 1965

7. Burimari(BR)-Chenrabandha (IR) are closed since 1971

8. Moghalhat (BR)- Gitaldah (IR) are closed since 1976Akhaura(BR)-Agartala(IR)- new Railway link.

Feni-Belonia

Existing Regional Connectivity

At present Closed Connectivity

Proposed new connectivity

Agartala

Singhabad

Radhikapur

Existing Connectivity with India:

•Benapole – Petrapole

•Darsana – Gede

•Rohanpur – Singhabad

•Birol – Radhikapur (since 01-04-2005, Reopen,2017)

Closed Connectivity (work is going on to restore

the connectivity) :

•Shahbazpur – Mohishasan (since 07-07-02)

Proposed new Connectivity:

•Chilahati – Holdibari

•Burimari – Chengrabandha

•Akhaura - Agartala

•Dohazari – Cox’s Bazar - Gundum

Connectivity with Nepal & India:

•Rohanpur – Singhabad (by addendum to MOU).

•Birol – Radhikapur (By conversion MG into DG).

Connectivity with Bhutan & India:

•Chilahati – Holdibari (by constructing 7 km missing

link in Bangladesh side and signing a new MOU).

•Burimari – Chengrabandha (transshipment facilities

at Burimari and signing a new MOU).

REGIONAL RAILWAY CONNECTIVITY IN BANGLADESH

Birol

Trans-Asian Railway network

BangladeshTAR-3

Radhikapur

(India)

Mohishasan

(India)

Myanmar

Shahbazpur

TAR-2Singabad

(India)

Dhaka

Ishurdi

Abdulpur

RohanpurTAR ROUTE – 1 :Gede (West Bengal, India) – Darsana –

Ishurdi – Jamtoil – Joydebpur – Tongi –

Akhaura – Chittagong – Dohazari –

Gundum – (Mynmar border station).

Sub-route – I : Tongi – Dhaka.

Sub-route – II : Akhaura – Kulaura –

Shahbazpur – Mahisasan (India)

TAR ROUTE – 2 :Singabad (West Bengal, India) –

Rohanpur – Rajshahi – Abdulpur –

Ishurdi and thereafter following the rest

of the route/sub-routes of Route – I.

TAR ROUTE – 3 :Radhikapur (West Bengal, India) – Birol

– Dinajpur – Parbatipur – Abdulpur –

Ishurdi and thereafter following the rest

of the route/sub-routes of Route – I.

TAR-1Gede

(India)

Ramu

Dinazpur

Parbatipur

Kulaura

Darsana

TAR-4

Tongi

Akhaura

Chittagong

Gundum

Dohazari

Jessore

KHULNA

Benapole

Bhanga

Following SAARC railway corridors passes through Bangladesh (as per SAARC Regional

Railways Agreement):

2. Pakistan-India-Bangladesh-India

i. Lahore(Pakistan) - Wagah (Pakistan) - Atari (India) - Delhi(India)- Kolkata(India)- Gede/Petrapol (India) - Darshana /

Benapol (Bangladesh) - Dhaka(Bangladesh)- Shahbazpur (Bangladesh) - Maishashan (India) – Imphal (India)

ii. Lahore(Pakistan) - Wagha (Pakistan) - Atari (India)-Delhi(India)- Kolkata(India)-Gede/Petrapol (India) - Darshana /

Benapol (Bangladesh)–Dhaka(Bangladesh)-Akhaura/ Gangasagar (Bangladesh) - Agartala (India)

3. India-Bangladesh • Imphal(India) - Agartala (India) – Akhaura/Gangasagar (Bangladesh) – Chittagong Port (Bangladesh)

5. Nepal-India-Bangladesh

i. Birgunj (Nepal) – Raxaul (India) - Singhabad (India) - Rohanpur (Bangladesh) - Mongla Port/ Chittagong Port

(Bangladesh)

ii. Biratnagar (Nepal) - Jogbani (India) - Radhikapur (India) - Birol (Bangladesh) -Khulna (Bangladesh) - Mongla Port

(Bangladesh).

iii. Bardibas(Nepal) – Inarwa (Nepal) - Jaynagar (India) - Radhikapur (India) - Birol (Bangladesh) - Khulna(Bangladesh) -

Mongla Port (Bangladesh).

7. Bangladesh-Bhutan • Mongla Port/Chittagong Port (Bangladesh) - Chilahati (Bangladesh) - Haldibari (India) – Hasimara (India) - Bhutan.

SAARC Railway corridors in Bangladesh

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SAARC RAILWAY CORRIDORS

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Railway corridors in Bangladesh

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▪ The South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC)

Program, set up in 2001, brings together Bangladesh, Bhutan,

India, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka in a project-based

partnership to promote regional prosperity by improving cross-

border connectivity, boosting trade among member countries, and

strengthening regional economic cooperation.

▪ The shared vision of SASEC is to increase trade and cooperation

within South Asia, create linkages to East and Southeast Asia,

ensure fast and least-cost cross-border movement of goods,

people, and business, and improve opportunity and the quality of

life for the people of the SASEC sub-region.

▪ Till date 66 projects taken in hand out of which only 6 projects are

in railway sector of Bangladesh.

SASEC CORRIDOR MAP

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BIMSTEC

• The “Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic

Cooperation (BIMSTEC)” is an international organization involving a group

of 7(seven) countries in South Asia and South East Asia. These

are: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

• “BIMSTEC Transport Infrastructure and Logistics Study (BTILS)” was

taken in hand in 2006 under financing of ADB and the study was

completed in 2007.

• The railway corridors 1 and 3 through Bangladesh identified by BTILS are

same as SAARC rail corridor 2 and 5:

BTILS Route-1: Lahore (Pakistan)- Delhi/Kolkata(India)- Dhaka/ Kulaura

(Bangladesh)-Mohishason-Imphal (India).

BTILS Route-3: Birgunj (Nepal)-Kaatihar/Singhabad (India)-Rohanpur-

Chittagong Port (Bangladesh), with links to Jogbani, Biratnagar (Nepal)

and Agartala (India).

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BCIM ECONOMIC CORRIDOR

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▪ The Bangladesh–China–India–Myanmar Forum for Regional

Cooperation (BCIM) is a sub-regional organization of

Asian nations aimed at greater integration of trade and investment

between the four countries.

▪ Through linking the ASEAN Free Trade Area, ASEAN-China Free

Trade Area and ASEAN –India Free Trade Area, the corridor would

constitute as one of the largest free trade areas.

▪ Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar hope to create a corridor

that would effectively combine road, rail, water and air linkages in

the region.

▪ This will also bolster foreign trade of the BCIM countries and

empower bilateral trading

BCIM

Economic Corridor

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Silk Road

The Silk Road or Silk Route is a historical network of

interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian

landmass that connected East and South and Western

Asia with the Mediterranean and European world as well

as parts of North and East Africa.

The Silk Road includes three routes namely Northern

Route, Southern Route and South-west Route.

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Silk Route

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Some Potential Priority Projects of Bangladesh RailwayOpportunities of Bangladesh to become a land transport

Hub and logistic centre in the regionThe unique geo-graphical position of Bangladesh.

Khulna-Mongla rail link would provide the shortest railway corridor to connect Nepal,

Bhutan and North-West India.

Proposed Padma rail link and Dhaka-Comilla chord line would provide shortest

railway corridor to connect Chittagong port to West Bengal of India.

New Akhaura-Agartala rail link and re-opening of Shahbazpur-Mohishoshan would

facilitate traffic from Chittagong port to North-East India.

Actions taken for construction of missing links and enhancement of capacity.

All ports in the Bay of Bengal are estuarine with shallow drafts of 9m or less

where as proposed Matarbari & Sonadia Deep Sea Port will have 15 m & 14m

draft respectively which will allow container vessels arrival at the port with

4000 TEUs or more.

The deepest berth in proposed deep sea port at Sonadia/Matarbari would be the key

to make Bangladesh a regional transport Hub which would be the nearest deep sea

port to Nepal, Bhutan and parts of India.

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Some Potential Priority Projects of Bangladesh RailwayMajor Impediments of Railway

Insufficient Budget since independence to 2010

Load Constraints on Bangabandhu Railway Bridge

Gauge Unification

Single Line

Over-aged Obsoleted Signalling

Scarcity of Rolling Stocks. ie. Locomotives,

passenger coaches and wagons

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Some Potential Priority Projects of Bangladesh RailwayMajor Initiatives to Establishment of Railway

ConnectivityRajshahi-Rohonpur border section –entry of TAR-2

Saidpur-Chilahati section rehabilitation

Parbatipur-Birol-Birol border DG line conversion completed

Dhaka-Chittagong Corridor Up gradation

Initiatives to construction of missing links of TAR, Dohazari-Cox’s bazar

Convert and Reopen MG Kulaura-Shahbajpur Section to DG

Khulna-Mongla rail link construction

Dedicated Railway Bridge on Jamuna River

Padma Bridge Rail link

Container Depot near Dhirasram

Joydevpur-Ishwardi Double line Construction

Akhaura-Agortala railway line

Procurement of RS, locomotives, coaches and wagons

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Progress from Bangladesh

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PHASE NO OF PROJECTS

PROJECT VALUE MUSD

REMARKS

COMPLETED PROJECTS2010-2015 (Existing MP)

25 513.97

ONGOING PROJECTS2016-2020 (Existing MP)

36 1644.23 Investment Project-29TA projects-07 (24.81)

Phase-I: 2016-2020 76 18696.12 ➢ 20 Nos gauge conversion projects

➢ 39 Nos RS Relatedprojects

Phase-II: 2021-2025 63 14946.62

Phase-III: 2026-2030 30 10744.50

Phase-IV: 2031-2035 22 12068.85

Phase-V: 2036-2040 12 10300.75

Phase-VI: 2041-2045 4 1365.00

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➢There should be an agreement among the signatories to

eliminate the restrictions of movement of trains in the territory

of member countries.

➢Physical barrier to implement the Trans Asian Railway

Network should be eliminated by implementing necessary

projects.

➢New bilateral or multilateral corridors should be explored for

mutual benefit.

➢Member countries and Development Partners should come

forward to finance the necessary projects.

Thanks for Patience

Hearing

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Progress Made

Trans-Asian Railway Connectivity:

Bangladesh singed" Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans-

Asian Railway Network” on 09.11.2007 as 20th signatory and it

was ratified on 11.08.2010.

Connectivity with NE states of India:

Bangladesh has Land boundary only with India and Myanmar. A

Joint Communiqué was singed between India and Bangladesh on

12.01.2010 to emphasize regional connectivity.

MoU signed on 16.02.2013 for construction of Akhaura-Agartala

rail link under Indian grant and the project is going on.

Upon completion of the connectivity, landlocked 7 states of North-

Eastern part of India would be connected with railway network of

BR.32

Projects taken for Enhancing Regional Connectivity

▪ Construction of Double line between Tongi-Bhairab Bazar (ADB fund).

▪ Double tracking between Laksam and Chinki Astana (JICA Finance).

▪ 2nd Bhairab and 2nd Titas Bridges (Indian LOC fund).

▪ 3rd & 4th line in Dhaka-Tongi section and double line in Tongi-Joydevpur (Indian LOC fund).

▪ Conversion of Parbatipur-Birol & Kanchan-Panchagar MG section into Dual Gauge (GOB fund).

▪ Rehabilitation of Saidpur-Chilahati Section of BR (GOB fund).

▪ RCI TA Project (ADB fund).

▪ Rehabilitation of Rajshahi-Rohonpur Section (GOB fund)

▪ Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar via Gundum and Ramu to Gundum near Myanmar (ADB fund).

▪ Rehabilitation of Kulaura-Shahbazpur section (Indian LOC fund).

▪ Akhura-Laksam-Chinki Astana DG Double Line (ADB & EIB financing).

▪ Khulna-Mongla Port rail link (Indian LOC fund).

▪ Jamuna Bridge Construction Project (JICA fund).

▪ Padma Bridge Rail Link Project (China govt.).

▪ Tongi-Dhaka 3rd and 4th Line (Indian LOC fund)

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Up-coming Projects for Enhancing Regional Connectivity

▪ Construction of 2nd Railway-cum-road Bridge over the river Karnafuli near Kalurghat Bridge

(To be financed under EDCF fund)

▪ Construction of Dhirasram ICD with allied works (Likely to be financed by ADB)

▪ Conversion of Dhaka-Chittagong corridor into DG (financed by ADB)

▪ Fauzderhat-Chittagong Port and Chittagong-Dohazari DG Double Line (Likely to be

financed by ADB)

▪ Railway Connection with Matarbari – Maheshkhali Power hub and Deep Sea Port (Likely to

be financed by ADB).

▪ Double tracking between Joydevpur to Ishurdi (Under proess).

▪ Procurement of rolling stocks.

▪ Dhaka city circular elevated rail line (Fesibility study going on)

▪ Parbatipur-Ishurdi-Khulna Double Line

▪ Upgradation of Jessore-Benapole section (Under process).

▪ Dhaka-Laksam via Comilla Highspeed elevated line (feasibility study going on)

▪ Construction of Bogra-Sirajganj DG rail line (Under process).

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