SANGSAD BHABAN : The government has proposed an allocation of Taka 9,940 crore for the Ministry of Railways in FY2026-27, including Taka 5,440 crore under the Annual Development Programme (ADP), to support initiatives aimed at transforming Bangladesh Railway into a safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable mode of public transport.

According to the budget document, the government is undertaking multifaceted initiatives, including the development of railway infrastructure, introduction of modern technologies and establishment of an integrated transportation system.

Efforts are underway to strengthen the country's communication network by bringing all districts and major cities under railway connectivity, expanding rail links with seaports and land ports, improving regional and cross-border railway communication and increasing commuter train services.

The document said work is progressing on the construction of dual-gauge double lines, gauge unification, modern signalling systems and the introduction of electric traction.

A chord line will be constructed on the Dhaka-Cumilla section of the Dhaka-Chattogram railway corridor. Once completed, the proposed new chord line will reduce the distance between Dhaka and Chattogram by approximately 80 kilometres, bringing the total route length down from 320 kilometres to 240 kilometres.

As a result, train travel time between Dhaka and Chattogram is expected to decrease from the current five hours to only three hours, bringing a transformative improvement to the communication system in the region.

The budget document said freight trains carrying goods from Chattogram Port, the Bay Terminal and the Matarbari Deep Sea Port will be able to connect directly to the proposed Dhirashram Inland Container Depot (ICD) through the existing Chattogram-Feni-Cumilla-Brahmanbaria-Bhairab-Narsingdi railway line, further strengthening the country's economy and logistics sector.

Integrated development activities in the railway sector will be further strengthened with greater priority during the tenure of the present government. To this end, initiatives are being undertaken for the construction of new railway lines and rail bridges, procurement of modern locomotives, coaches and wagons and strengthening the maintenance of existing railway tracks and bridges.

Measures are also being taken to enhance the capacity of the railway workshops at Saidpur and Pahartali to facilitate the local assembly of coaches and locomotives.

Furthermore, the quality of passenger and freight transport services will be improved through the introduction of new train services, modernization of signalling systems and expansion of optical fibre-based communication networks.

To transform Bangladesh Railway into a commercially viable institution, greater emphasis is being placed on freight transport services alongside passenger services, while private investment is also being encouraged.

The document said plans have been undertaken to introduce electric trains, establish high-speed rail connectivity and procure new rolling stock as part of the sector's modernization, while railway infrastructure development will be carried out through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements.