The Ministry of Railway has sent project proposal to the Planning Commission (PC) to conduct a study on the prospects of bringing the Barisal region under railway network, according to sources.
The Barisal region, crisscrossed by rivers and canals, yet to be connected with outside districts, including Dhaka, through railway.
"We have undertaken a project at a cost of Tk. 134.77 million for a detailed feasibility study. We have also sought approval of the project from the Planning Commission recently," a senior Bangladesh Railway (BR) official said.
Railway track will be built from Bhanga to Barisal if the study finds the route viable, he added.
"Bhanga in Faridpur is expected to be one of the busy railway junctions after construction of the Padma Bridge. A new railway link from Dhaka to Bhanga will be built through the Padma Bridge. Besides, Jessore and Khulna will also be connected with Bhanga. So we have proposed to build another line up to Barisal," said the official.
The BR official said they intend to complete the feasibility study within the current fiscal year (FY), 2015-16.
Meanwhile, the government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a Chinese construction firm to set up a broad-gauge railway line from Bhanga to Barisal.
China Civil Engineering and Construction Corporation is interested to build the railway line.
The official said the BR has taken the decision as the route would be very important for Dhaka's connection with Barisal and Jessore through the Padma Bridge.
The government has kept the provision of railway on the bridge, which will connect Dhaka via Mawa in the North and Jajeera in the South of the river Padma.
The Dhaka-Bhanga track might be very important for connecting Barisal, Jessore and Khulna over the Padma Bridge, the official said.
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