To meet the surging demand of travellers eager to visit the world's longest unbroken sea beach, Bangladesh Railway (BR) on Monday officially launched the operation of a third pair of trains on the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route by extending the journey of the Mohanagar Express up to the coastal tourism hub.

Railways, Road Transport and Bridges, and Shipping Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam inaugurated the extended service of the Mohanagar Express from the Dhaka Railway Station in Kamalapur. Prior to this addition, two train pairs—the Cox's Bazar Express and the Tourist Express—were operating on the 467.83-kilometer route since its inauguration in December 2023.

The opening ceremony was attended by State Minister Habibur Rashid, Railways Ministry Secretary Md. Fahimul Islam, BR Director General Md. Afzal Hossain, and other senior officials.

According to railway officials, unlike the existing trains, the Mohanagar Express will make stops at 12 stations along its route via Chattogram. Aside from the terminal stations of Dhaka and Cox's Bazar, the train will stop at Airport, Narsingdi, Bhairab Bazar, Ashuganj, Brahmanbaria, Akhaura, Kasba, Comilla, Laksam, Nangalkot, Feni, and Chattogram. The previous halt at Kumira Station has been discontinued with the route extension.

Schedule and Operations:

· Departure from Dhaka: 8:30 PM, arriving in Cox's Bazar at 6:00 AM.

· Return Journey: Departs Cox's Bazar at 9:00 AM, arriving in Dhaka at 6:30 PM.

· Travel Time: Approximately 9 hours and 30 minutes in both directions.

· Weekly Off-Day: The service will remain suspended on Sundays.

· Maintenance Depot: Cox’s Bazar will serve as the rake base and depot for cleaning and watering services.

BR authorities stated that the third service was introduced to accommodate surging passenger demand and fulfill the government’s election manifesto commitments regarding the expansion of intercity rail networks.