United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Railway has arranged seven pairs of special trains to facilitate the smooth transportation of devotees attending the three-day Biswa Ijtema, the world’s second-largest Muslim congregation.  To accommodate the influx of passengers, all inter-city trains—including Subarna Express, Sonar Bangla Express, Cox’s Bazar Express, Tourist Express, and Banalata Express—will make two-minute stopovers at Tongi Station from 12:01 am on January 31 until the Akheri Munajat (final prayer) on February 2.   Extortion: Battery-run autorickshaw drivers block Dhaka-Aricha highway Additionally, the weekly off day for the Joydebpur Commuter Train has been rescheduled from Saturday to Friday during the Ijtema.   On February 2, the Turag Commuter trains will remain suspended for the Akheri Munajat, and mail trains numbered 11, 12, 45, 46, 9, and 10 will also be halted for the day.   Trains roll back to tracks after running staff calls off strike To manage the increased number of passengers, additional bogies will be attached to express, commuter, and local trains, along with the operation of special trains. Moreover, temporary booking counters will be set up at Tongi Station to assist travelers.  

The government has introduced Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) bus services on key railway routes to facilitate passenger transportation amid a nationwide rail disruption, according to a press release from the Ministry of Railways on Tuesday. Train operations have been halted nationwide since early Tuesday after Bangladesh Railway's operating crew began an indefinite strike, demanding special post-retirement benefits. As an alternative to trains, BRTC bus services have been introduced on important railway routes for passenger transportation. Railway Adviser urges running staff to end strike as discussions continue Passengers travelling to Chattogram, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Khulna, Cumilla, Bogura, and Mymensingh from Dhaka Railway Station and Airport Railway Station can travel using the BRTC bus service with their purchased train tickets. They can also travel to Dhaka from these locations using this service, the release said. The BRTC bus service will remain in operation until further notice. This measure aims to minimise inconvenience to passengers and ensure continued connectivity during the disruption, the release added. Kamalapur Railway Station Master Mohammad Anwar Hossain told UNB that all trains scheduled to depart until 12:00 am on Monday eventually left their origin station, despite delays. Train communications halt nationwide after talks on extra benefits fail However, trains scheduled to depart after midnight did not operate due to the work stoppage. The last scheduled train on Monday departed from Kamalapur Station at 1:00 am. Passengers with tickets for the cancelled trains, both online and offline were being refunded.

Nationwide train movement halted since early Tuesday after Bangladesh Railway's running staff launched an indefinite strike to demand special post-retirement benefits. The strike began at midnight Monday after talks between railway authorities and the union of train drivers and support staff collapsed. As a result, trains scheduled to depart after midnight from originating stations were cancelled, bringing train operations across the country to a standstill. Bent rail tracks: ‘Banalata Express’ avoids accident The strike stems from the staff's demands for several unresolved issues, including the inclusion of running allowances in their basic pay for pension calculations. Running staff, such as train drivers, guards, and ticket checkers, are participating in this protest. Saeedur Rahman, general secretary of the Dhaka Division Committee of the Bangladesh Railway Running Staff and Workers Association, said, “We have not received any decisions from railway authorities. We remain steadfast in our decision to halt train operations.” Passengers have faced significant inconvenience as trains scheduled to depart after midnight failed to leave their stations. The running staff confirmed that trains scheduled to leave their originating stations after midnight were halted. As per regulations, a running staff member is entitled to 12 hours of rest upon returning to their headquarters or 8 hours if stationed outside. If required to work during rest hours for the benefit of railway operations, additional compensation known as mileage benefits is provided. However, due to objections from the Ministry of Finance, the running staff has reportedly been deprived of this benefit, which is one of the key points of contention. Karwan Bazar Railway: The go-to place for illegal drugs in Dhaka Mohammad Anwar Hossain, the station master of Kamalapur Railway Station, told UNB that all trains scheduled to depart until 12:00 am on Monday eventually left their origin station, despite delays. However, trains scheduled to depart after midnight did not operate due to the work stoppage. The last scheduled train on Monday departed from Kamalapur Station at 1:00 am. Passengers with tickets for the cancelled trains, both online and offline, are being refunded.

Rail communication between Dhaka and other parts of country has restored after nearly three hours of suspension due to demonstration by some temporary workers of railway at Tejgaon. Some temporary workers of Bangladesh Railway blocked the rail tracks at Karwanbazar in Tejgaon in the capital demanding the payment of five months' unpaid wages around 10:45 am on Tuesday. These Temporary Labour Register (TLR) workers  including porters, gatekeepers (traffic/engineering), cleaners, waymen, office assistants, and waiting room caretakers are employed on a daily basis. Joynal Abedin, Officer-in-Charge of Dhaka Railway Police Station, said the blockade was lifted at 12:50 pm and then the  train services resumed.

Commuter trains will run on short distances from tomorrow (July 25, 2024), Additional Director General of Bangladesh Railway Md Arifuzzaman said on Wednesday. “One or two commuter trains will operate from tomorrow on short distance routes. It will take time to resume operation of inter-city trains once the current situation improves,” he told UNB. Besides, network disruption also causes delay of train services as tickets are available online, he added. Read more: AP report: Bangladesh moves back to normalcy after violent clashes that killed nearly 200 people Under the circumstances, commuter trains will operate on the Dhaka-Narayanganj and Ishwardi routes while the authorities will try their level best to resume commuter trains on Dhaka-Joydebpur route, he said. The Burimari commuter train will operate from Lalmonirhat district, said the additional DG. He also said that freight trains or oil-carrying trains were operating since Monday.

Train communication on the 138.64 km Benapole-Mongla route began operations today (June 01, 2024), carrying 500 passengers on its inaugural journey. Saidur Rahman, Benapole Rail Station Master, reported that the commuter train departed for Mongla port at around 10 am, reaching Mongla via Khulna's Phultala at approximately 12:50 pm. Train services on Benapole-Mongla route set to start from June 1 The commuter train will operate daily, except on Tuesdays, according to Asim Kumar Talukdar, General Manager of the Railway Western Zone. The route includes stopovers at Navaron, Jhikargacha, Jashore Junction, Rupdia, Singia, Chengutia, Noapara, Bejerdanga, Phultala, Aronghata, Mohammadnagar, Katakhali, Chulkati Bazar, Bhaga, and Digraj stations. Train derailment in Bogura: Communication resumes after 2 hrs The new service follows a trial run that began on November 1, when a train was operated on the 138.64 km Khulna-Mongla rail tracks. After seven months of testing, the train service is now officially launched.

Starting in July, residents of Chuadanga district will have direct train access to Dhaka, reducing travel time to just five hours. The Bangladesh Railway is resuming direct rail service on the Dhaka-Darshana route, this time via the Padma Bridge, a move anticipated to greatly benefit commuters. A media release from the Railway’s Western region announced that a pair of trains will run on this route. The first train will depart Darshana for Dhaka around 7 am, arriving at noon. It will then leave Dhaka at 1 pm, reaching Darshana by 4 pm. The second train will operate from 4:30 pm to 9:40 pm and from 11:55 pm to 5 am the following morning. In addition, three trains—Chitra, Benapole, and Sundarban Express—will operate from Jashore's Rupdia or Padmabila to Dhaka via Kushtia, Mobarakganj, and Kotchandpur through the Padma Bridge. Passengers disembarking from moving trains raises safety concerns Currently, Bangladesh Railway operates local, mail, commuter, and intercity trains. Fares range from Tk 0.39 per km for local trains to Tk 1.95 per km for air-conditioned intercity trains. Abdullah Al Mamun, a Dhaka-bound passenger at Chuadanga Rail Station, expressed optimism: “The train line is divided into two parts. If these two trains start, we will benefit from the passenger-tickets, and hopefully, we will get tickets on time. Besides, it will take less time to go to Dhaka.”

Bangladesh Railways has initiated a comprehensive modernisation of its signal system, with the aim to transition entirely to broad gauge tracks by 2050. This initiative is expected to eliminate collisions and enhance overall safety. In an exclusive interview with UNB, Sardar Shahadat Ali, Director General of Bangladesh Railway, elaborated on the ongoing and future projects. “We have taken steps to modernise the signal system progressively across all areas. Though the traditional lamp signals are old, they are time-tested; implementing a digital system is a costly affair,” Ali stated. The Bangladesh Railway DG acknowledged the recent increase in train collisions, attributing them to faulty signal systems. “Until 2030, we will procure locomotives for meter gauge, but after that, we will cease their acquisition. By 2050, the complete transition to broad gauge will prevent such collisions,” he assured. Discussing the current locomotive scenario, Ali mentioned that the existing broad gauge locomotives sufficiently meet demand. “We plan to bring in 46 more locomotives for broad gauge and 50 for meter gauge. Additionally, the Chattogram-Dohazari project includes the acquisition of 30 more locomotives. However, we are facing a slight shortage of meter gauge locomotives.” Passengers disembarking from moving trains raises safety concerns Highlighting the advancements, Ali pointed out, “A tender for the digital signal system from Abdullahpur to Parbatipur has been issued and is under evaluation. The Padma Bridge Rail Link Project will see a digital system operational by June. Areas like Tongi, Joydebpur, Dinajpur, and the eastern and western sides of the Bangabandhu Bridge, will transition to an interlocking system once the ongoing non-interlocking projects are completed.” Ali also touched upon the challenges of maintaining meter gauge locomotives, which involve transporting them over the Jamuna Bridge to the central locomotive workshop that is facing workforce shortages. “We expect to resolve these issues by 2030 with the arrival of new locomotives,” he noted. Addressing locomotive defects, the railway DG said, “We have identified some issues with the 3000 series locomotives. Our service engineers are addressing these, and during the warranty period, we aim to rectify all identified problems.” Regarding the lack of skilled personnel, he said, “It is not possible to immediately hire skilled personnel. First, we need to recruit people and then train them to become skilled and proficient. As employees retire, new ones will be hired and trained to become proficient – this will be a continuous process.” Burimari Express derails in Pabna, train service between Dhaka and north disrupted To improve railway services, Ali stated, “We are focusing on timely train departures and arrivals, cleanliness, and food quality. There are no longer ticket black markets, and tickets can be easily purchased online or at stations. Despite high demand, train journeys remain comfortable.” When asked about expanding train connectivity, he confirmed, “The government is committed to improving train communication across the country. We are increasing the number of trains and coaches as needed, and new locomotives will be purchased to meet future demands.”

Despite launching several new development projects aimed at enhancing its services, Bangladesh Railway continues to struggle with the maintenance of old rail lines and bridges, leading to an increase in accidents, including derailments. Sources from Bangladesh Railway report that approximately 63% of rail accidents are due to deteriorating lines and weak bridges. Out of the country's 3,400 kilometers of railway lines, only key sections such as the Dhaka-Chattogram, Dhaka-Joydebpur, and Jashore-Abdullahpur lines are double-tracked, while the majority remain single-tracked and in poor condition. Transport experts have identified numerous systemic issues including frequent station closures, aging rolling stock, deteriorating infrastructure, overcrowding, delays, ticketing problems, and general mismanagement—all contributing to the railway's challenges. Rail accidents are increasing due to signaling errors, expired coach connections, insufficient supervision of rail lines, risky rail crossings, and lack of passenger facilities. Overwhelming heat exacerbates health challenges across Dhaka, as children bear the brunt of the impact According to unofficial information, there are more than 3,400 kilometers of railway lines across the country, of which only 1,000 kilometers are in good condition. Dr. Hadiuzzaman, a transportation analyst and professor at BUET, criticized the ongoing neglect of essential maintenance in favor of expanding the railway's assets. "There's a tendency to focus on acquiring new locomotives and coaches because it initially costs less than maintaining infrastructure. However, this neglects the crucial upkeep needed for existing rail lines and bridges," he explained. The neglect is evident in the fact that nearly 2,500 kilometers of rail tracks are considered risky, yet trains continue to operate on them, leading to reduced speeds and efficiency. This was highlighted by recent incidents, including a head-on collision between two trains in Gazipur’s Joydebpur due to signaling errors and multiple signaling mistakes on the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar line in Chattogram. Govt plans Tk 2000 billion investment in transport and communication for next two fiscals The traditional signaling method, reliant on manual point adjustments by pointsmen, has been identified as a key risk factor. Station masters' errors in signal provision can lead trains onto the same track, risking collisions. The manual system also increases the likelihood of derailments due to improper point configurations. Progress on modernizing the signaling system has been hampered by financial constraints and delays in payments to contractors, particularly in major projects like the construction of additional lines from Dhaka to Tongi. Sardar Shahadat Ali, Director General of Bangladesh Railway, acknowledged the challenges posed by the ongoing projects and the transition to a computer-based interlocking system. He cited staffing shortages and a lack of skilled workers as exacerbating risks but mentioned ongoing efforts to recruit skilled signal staff and strengthen monitoring systems to enhance safety. Despite these efforts, the newly recruited personnel are still not proficient in the old manual signaling methods, and outsourced pointsmen lack specialized railway training. Regular personnel turnover further complicates the training and adaptation process. According to the 2022-23 annual report of the Ministry of Railways, 315 passenger trains operate across the country. Among them, 143 trains started their journey in the past 15 years. During this time, 843 kilometers of new railway tracks have been constructed, and 1,391 kilometers of railway lines have been repaired. Dhk-Khulna, Dhk-Barishal highways turn perilous; 320 die in one yr Furthermore, buildings have been constructed for 146 new railway stations. Reconstruction of 273 station buildings, construction of 1,037 new bridges, reconstruction of 794 railway bridges, acquisition of 109 locomotives, collection of 658 passenger carriages, relocation of 530 passenger carriages, collection of 516 freight wagons, relocation of 277 freight wagons, and so on, have been done. Currently, there are 1,788 coaches, 47% of which have gone beyond their service life. The number of operational engines is only 295. Against a required workforce of 47,600 in the railway, only 24,000 are currently employed. In the past five years, more than 2,000 accidents have occurred, leaving more than 150 passengers dead, and around 500 injured. In the last four months alone, there have been 160 railway accidents and incidents of sabotage across the country. In these incidents, 18 passengers have died, and 200 have been injured.

Residents of Faridpur staged a protest today (May 05, 2024) at the railway station, demanding a stoppage for the Chandana commuter train that travels from Rajbari to Dhaka.  The protest began at 5:15 am. The train, which had departed from Rajbari, arrived at Faridpur at 5:40 am. During the protest, demonstrators physically halted the train and expressed their discontent through a peaceful demonstration. They also welcomed the train's conductor and other staff with flowers as a gesture of goodwill despite their grievances. The protestors addressed the inconvenience caused by the absence of a scheduled stop at Faridpur station, which denies local passengers the facility to travel conveniently to Dhaka.  Sylhet lands in darkness as Ashuganj power grid collapses Speakers at the protest, including Abrar Nadim Itu, Sharif Khan, Tuhin Bin Alamgir, Ashish Kumar Kundu, Selim Mia, Ali Makim, Iqbal Hossain, Sohan, and Arif Sheikh, emphasized the need for the stoppage to facilitate easy travel for Faridpur residents to and from the capital. In response to the protest, the train's conductor, Mahibul Islam, immediately contacted higher authorities to relay the concerns raised. He mentioned that a decision regarding the stoppage might be announced later that day. Railway sources confirmed that as of Sunday, the Chandana commuter train began operating commercially on the Rajbari-Bhanga-Dhaka route, following its official inauguration on Saturday. However, the lack of a stop at Faridpur station has caused significant dissatisfaction among local commuters, who have urged the railway ministry and relevant officials to urgently address this issue and implement a stop at Faridpur for the benefit of the local populace. Gazipur train derailment: Salvage operation still on 24 hours post-collision