Govt plans to extend electric train network to Ctg after pilot project

The government plans to extend its proposed electric train network to Chattogram following the implementation of a pilot project on the Narayanganj-Dhaka-Joydebpur railway corridor, marking the next major phase of the country's railway modernisation initiative.

The planned expansion is expected to bring electric train connectivity to the country's busiest railway corridor, Dhaka-Chattogram, improving passenger services, accelerating freight transportation and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

Bangladesh Railway Planning Cell and Chief Planning Officer (CPO) Engineer Md Rafiqul Islam said the government has taken an initiative to introduce modern electric trains with a maximum speed of 140 kilometres per hour, with the Narayanganj-Dhaka-Joydebpur section selected as the country's first electric train corridor.

The pilot project has already received approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), he said.

With an estimated cost of around Tk3,500 crore, the project will be financed largely by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), while the government will bear domestic expenses related to imported materials, customs duties and VAT.

The tendering process is planned to be completed by 2027, while major construction activities are scheduled to begin progressing rapidly from mid-2028.

A total of 16 sets of modern Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains will be imported for the pilot route. The trains will have driving facilities at both ends, eliminating the need to turn them around and allowing services to operate at regular intervals.

The extension of electric train services to Chattogram is expected to be a significant step in expanding the country's modern railway network beyond the initial pilot corridor.

Rafiqul Islam said the Dhaka-Chattogram route is particularly important for both passenger and freight transportation, connecting the capital with the country's principal seaport and major commercial centres.

The introduction of electric locomotives on this corridor could substantially improve the transportation of containers and heavy goods while reducing travel time and operating costs, he added.

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Currently, only around 60,000 to 70,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers are transported annually by rail from Chattogram to Dhaka, accounting for approximately 3% of the total container traffic, he said.

The Dhirashram Inland Container Depot (ICD) project aims to increase annual container transportation by rail to 450,000 TEUs, creating greater opportunities for railway-based freight movement.

The proposed expansion of electric train services, alongside the development of modern freight-handling facilities, is expected to strengthen Bangladesh Railway's commercial capacity, Rafiqul Islam said. 

To facilitate the introduction and subsequent expansion of electric train services, Bangladesh Railway is undertaking several infrastructure development initiatives.

Rafiqul Islam said the construction of the third and fourth railway lines between Dhaka and Tongi is progressing, while the double-line construction work on the Tongi-Joydebpur section has already been completed.

At Joydebpur, additional land is being acquired to establish a modern EMU depot and workshop to support maintenance and operational requirements, he said.

Meanwhile, existing metre-gauge lines on the Tongi-Akhaura and Laksam-Chattogram routes are being converted into dual-gauge double lines, an initiative expected to strengthen the infrastructure needed for future railway electrification.

Bangladesh Railway is focusing on electric trains capable of running at speeds of up to 140 kilometres per hour rather than introducing bullet trains with speeds of around 350 kilometres per hour.

Rafiqul Islam said introducing bullet trains would require an estimated investment of Tk150,000 crore to Tk250,000 crore, alongside major challenges involving land acquisition and the country's densely populated agricultural landscape.

Against this backdrop, the proposed electric train system is being considered a more practical approach to modernising railway transportation while keeping infrastructure costs and land requirements under consideration, he said.

The introduction of electric trains is also expected to contribute to reducing carbon emissions, air pollution and dependence on fossil fuels.

Rafiqul Islam said Bangladesh Railway is assessing the environmental benefits and potential carbon emission reductions of its new projects, with the possibility of generating carbon credits through internationally recognised mechanisms.

The Narayanganj-Dhaka-Joydebpur pilot project is expected to establish the foundation for a broader electric railway network, with Chattogram identified as the next major expansion destination.

Once extended, the network could bring significant changes to passenger and freight transportation, supporting faster connectivity, improved railway efficiency and a more environmentally sustainable transport system.