Bangladesh Railway is set to receive 200 broad gauge passenger coaches from India, with deliveries scheduled to begin later this year and continue through December 2027, Railways Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam informed Parliament on Thursday.
Responding to a question raised by opposition (Jamaat) lawmaker Md Elias Molla, the minister said the procurement-financed by the European Investment Bank-will see all 200 coaches incorporated into the national railway fleet between June 2026 and the end of 2027.
He noted that Bangladesh Railway will determine routes for deploying the new coaches once they are delivered.
In reply to another query from ruling party lawmaker Md Mosharraf Hossain (Bogura-4), the minister provided an update on the country’s rail infrastructure.
Bangladesh currently has a total of 3,428.09 kilometres of railway track, including 1,591.43 kilometres of metre gauge, 1,066.60 kilometres of broad gauge, and 770.06 kilometres of dual gauge lines.
The minister added that ongoing projects are focused on expanding the rail network through the installation of new broad gauge and dual gauge lines, depending on feasibility and passenger demand.
Answering a separate question from ruling party lawmaker Mohammad Shamim Kaiser (Gaibandha-4), he said that 15 intercity trains are currently operating between Dhaka and northern districts.
The addition of new coaches is expected to allow for an increase in intercity services on some routes.
Highlighting future plans, the minister said the government is working to approve new projects aimed at improving passenger comfort and increasing freight revenue.
These include the planned procurement of 260 broad gauge passenger coaches, 46 broad gauge locomotives, and 50 metre gauge locomotives in the near term.
