Bangladesh Railway is set to expand passenger services in its western zone with the arrival of the first consignment of new broad-gauge coaches next month, paving the way for the launch of a Dhaka-Pabna train and the strengthening of existing services.
Pls add with the Financial support from European Investment Bank in the para below. Otherwise reader's would be misguided that it is under LoC as it is coming from India.
'..BR expects to receive all 200 coaches from India in phases by 2027, with consignments scheduled to arrive every month.
A limited number of new train services are likely to be introduced in the zone, official sources said, adding that the first consignment of 200 broad-gauge (BG) coaches is expected to arrive in the country in the first week of August.
Sources said the first new service, between Dhaka and Pabna, is expected to be launched after the commissioning of the first batch of 20 coaches, equivalent to one rake.
"It is likely to be launched in the third week of August with a 12-coach rake," a BR official said, requesting anonymity as the proposal is still at the planning stage.
The official said the Dhaka-Pabna-Dhaka service has become feasible following the procurement of 40 BG locomotives in 2023, which eased the locomotive shortage in BR's western zone.
He, however, said the newly procured 200 coaches would also be used to replace ageing coaches on existing train services.
BR expects to receive all 200 coaches, procured with financial support from the European Investment Bank (EIB) from India in phases by 2027. The consignments are scheduled to arrive every month.
Despite having greater capacity on its broad-gauge network than the metre-gauge network in the eastern zone, BR has so far been unable to introduce new services on recently built routes, including Dhaka-Bhanga and Khulna-Mongla, mainly because of manpower shortages, sources said.
Most of the 40 BG locomotives procured in 2023 are already in operation, they added.
Officials in BR's operations wing said that, despite the manpower shortage, train operations could be reorganised to accommodate more services by replacing old coaches and increasing the number of coaches on existing trains.
The Dhaka-Khulna direct route and the Khulna-Mongla route are expected to receive priority, as Dhaka-Khulna train services are currently operated via longer alternative routes, another official said.
Meanwhile, BR plans to launch a commuter train service between Dhaka and Gopalganj on August 10 using the existing rake of the Joydebpur Commuter, which remains idle during the evening under the current operating schedule.
The Dhaka-Joydebpur commuter train operates every morning, carrying passengers from the city's outskirts to the capital.
In the evening, however, most return passengers use the Turag Commuter, leaving the Joydebpur Commuter rake idle at Kamalapur Railway Station.
Under the new plan, the same rake will operate the Gopalganj commuter service, departing Dhaka at 3:30 pm and returning from Gopalganj at 8:00 pm.
smunima@yahoo.com
© 2026 - All Rights with The Financial Express
