BR to procure Tk 5.62b coaches

The Bangladesh Railway (BR) will procure 100 metre gauge and 50 broad gauge coaches at a cost of Tk 5.62 billion from Inca PT, an Indonesian firm.

In this connection, an agreement was signed between the two organisations in the city on Thursday, reports UNB.

BR Director General Md Tofazzal Hossain and Inca PT President Director R Agus H Purnomo signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.

The coaches will be procured with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Among others, Railways Minister Md Mazibul Hoque, Indonesian Ambassador in Bangladesh Iwan Wiranata-Atamadja and Acting Secretary of Railways Ministry Md Monsur Ali Shikdar were present at the deal signing ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, the railways minister said Bangladesh Railway has long been facing the crisis of coaches, and expressed the hope that the crisis will be reduced with the addition of the new coaches.

The government has already undertaken 41 projects for the development of the railway sector, and it will undergo large transformation with the implementation of the projects, the minister said.

According to the agreement, the government will purchase 100 metre gauge coaches at a cost Tk 3.45 billion and 50 broad gauge coaches at Tk 2.17 billion.