700 coaches, 100 locomotives to add BR fleet: PM tells JS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said as part of modernization of the Bangladesh Railway (BR), process is underway for brining 700 passenger coaches and 100 meter gauge locomotives in the BR fleet.

“We have brought and rehabilitated 530 BG and MG coaches for Bangladesh Railway aimed at providing service cheap, secure and comfortable journey,” she said this, while replying to a stared question from treasury bench member M Monirul Islam of Jessore-5 in the Jatiya Sangsad.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has brought 46 broad gauge and meter gauge locomotives, 466 broad gauge (BG) and meter gauge (MG) tank and container wagons for mitigating the rolling stock in the Bangladesh Railway.

“Process for bringing 100 broad gauge coaches under the Padma Bridge Railway Connectivity Project and 600 BG and MG coaches with EDCF, tenderer’s and ADB’s finance,” she informed the House.

The Prime Minister said the government has also rehabilitated 260 BG and MG passenger coaches under own finance. 150 BG and MG coaches were collected with the finance of Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Besides, the Awami League government has launched 106 new train services on various routes and expanded 30 services since 2009, she told the Jatiya Sangsad.

Sheikh Hasina said that the government rehabilitated 1,091 kilometer railway line, constructed 243 km new line and 249 km railway line turned into dual gauge from meter gauge since 2009.

Source: bss