Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday vowed to make the railway a profitable sector saying that the government is working to bring the whole country under railway network, report agencies.
"We want to show those who once wanted to shut down the non-profitable rail routes that these can be made profitable and modernised as well as all sorts of scope and facility for the people, including goods transport can be created through the railway," she said.
The Prime Minister made the vow while flagging off the intercity train 'Kurigram Express' on the Kurigram-Dhaka-Kurigram route and launching newly-imported coaches of Rangpur Express and Lalmoni Express through a videoconferencing from her official residence Ganobhaban.
Bangladesh Railway (BR) has introduced the direct train service to fulfill the long-standing expectation of the people of Kurigram. It will cut the railway distance between Dhaka and Kurigram by 120 kilometres and save two hours.
The train will have stopovers at stations including Lalmonirhat, Kaunia, Rangpur, Badarganj, Parbatipur, Joypurhat, Shantahar, Tongi and Dhaka Airport.
The train will leave Kurigram Railway Station at 7:20am and reach Dhaka at 5:25pm. It will depart from Kamalapur Railway station at 8:45pm and reach Kurigram at 6:20am. The train will not be operated on Wednesday.
It has 653 seats of four types - Shovon chair, AC chair, AC seat, AC berth - and the fares are TK 510, Tk 972, Tk 1,168, Tk 1,804 respectively. The annual revenue from the train is expected to be Tk 250 million.
The new coaches for the Kurigram Express have been imported from Indonesia with having some modern facilities such as wheel chairs and widened main and toilet doors for easy movement of the physically challenged people, wifi, bio-toilet and modern and improved roof-mounted air condition.
Bodies of the coaches are made of stainless steel with having modern facilities for the passengers.
Sheikh Hasina said the railway is most popular among the common and middle-class people, but the BNP government had planned to shut down rail routes following the suggestion of international organisations saying that it was not profitable.
"I think it was a suicidal decision for our country because the common people choose rail for their communication. It's essential for a country to have rail, water, air and road transport system," she said.
The Prime Minister said her government has been implementing a massive programme to spread railway connectivity to every division including Barishal. "We've constructed many new rail routes and repaired many old rail lines," she added.
"Our goal is to bring entire Bangladesh, even the southern part of the country, under railway network," she said adding that the government will extend the railway network to Barishal, Mongla in Bagerhat, and Payra Port in Patuakhali.
"We've a plan to construct speedy railways," said the Prime Minister.
Later, she exchanged views with the locals of Kurigram, Rangpur and Lalmonirhat through the videoconferencing.
While talking to the locals of Lalmonirhat, she said the government is establishing Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University (BSMRAAU) in the northern district.
The Prime Minister hoped that Bangladesh will be able to make helicopters, planes and fighter planes from the aeronautical centre in Lalmonirhat in future as it can now build and export ships.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi and Social Welfare Minister Nuruzzaman Ahmed were present at the event.
Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan also spoke at the launching function joining the videoconferencing from Kurigram.
