Bangladesh Railway's plan to develop three inland container depots (ICDs) in different locations across the country has made little or no headway due to non-cooperation from different quarters.
Therefore, freight service of the state rail operator could not be improved, although the newly developed tracks have created such scope for establishing link with ports and cross-country rail communications.
According to officials, the BR took multiple plans to establish the ICDs at Dhirasram, Sirajganj and Iswardi seven to eight years ago, but none could make any tangible progress yet.
The projects are still at initial stages for lack of financiers and non-cooperation from different quarters as the establishment of an ICD requires huge land and funds.
"Smooth freight service requires ICDs at various locations in the country, particularly near land and seaports, to ensure loading and unloading," said an official.
Years have elapsed since then with none but one feasibility study on the ICDs has so far been done.
According to sources, the BR has already started considering the establishment of ICDs at Nimtali of Keraniganj and Chokoria in line with the Padma Bridge and Matarbari Deep-sea Port.
At present, the BR has only one ICD at Kamalapur railway station, which is already saturated.
Of the three proposed ICDs, Dhirasram ICD has recently got the go-ahead from the ECNEC, ending a stalemate of seven long years.
The necessity to shift the ICD from Kamalapur was felt due to its already saturated condition and the BR's plan to develop a multimodal transport hub there.
The ICD was initially mooted under public-private partnership, but the BR had to move from the idea for not getting any response from the private sector through the Japanese government.
Yet, no funding could be confirmed for a long time. However, the Asian Development Bank assured Dhaka of funding $250 million.
However, sources said the two other ICD development plans were still stalled for lack of any response from the financiers. Although the Indian government assured Bangladesh of developing the Sirajganj ICD in grant, the BR was still to get any confirmation.
They said the railway authorities sent a preliminarily development project proposal to the Indian High Commission through the Economic Relations Division in September 2022 with no response to date.
However, an official said the issue was discussed in the recent intergovernmental railway meeting of the BR and the Indian Railway.
Due importance was given to the development of Sirajganj ICD without delay, thanks to the development of the Khulna-Mongla and Akhaura-Agartala rail track.
The BR inaugurated Khulna-Mongla rail line and Akhaura-Agartala on October 30, creating scope for cross-border freight and container services.
Besides, the track through the Padma Bridge has also opened an avenue of shorter rail connectivity with the rest of the country, including with land ports.
All these facilities also created scope for cross-border trade with Bhutan and Nepal.
According to sources, the BR has now over 400 wagons active to carry different types of freight service by establishing 'Container Company of Bangladesh Limited' in 2016.
It has also taken up a project to import 1,000 wagons of both broad- and metre-gauge lines.
The Bangladesh Railway has recently imported 125 luggage vans for parcel services.
smunima@yahoo.com