State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid has announced plans to raise 47 kilometers of railway track from Chattogram to Dohazari by five feet to prevent flooding.
He made the statement after inspecting flood‑affected areas in Chattogram on Wednesday morning.
“We want to ease passengers’ suffering. If the tracks are elevated, they will no longer go underwater during heavy rainfall, and train services will remain normal,” he said.
The project is currently in the tendering stage and expected to begin soon. Once implemented, it will end long‑standing disruptions caused by waterlogging on the route, the minister added.
Around 11:30am, Rashid visited the site by car and later waded through knee‑deep water to examine the inundated tracks and surrounding areas. Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Shahadat Hossain and senior railway officials accompanied him.
Railway authorities confirmed that while no structural damage has occurred, operations will remain suspended until floodwaters recede. Services such as the Cox’s Bazar Express and Tourist Express have already been canceled. Passengers with advance tickets will be refunded under existing rules.
Continuous heavy rainfall has submerged about 500 metres of railway track between Sholoshahar and Janali Hat stations on the Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar route for the first time in 43 years. The railway authorities suspended train services on the line, citing passenger safety.
Following the inspection, the minister discussed with officials the overall situation, causes of waterlogging, safety measures, and ways to restore services quickly.
On Tuesday night, a train left Dhaka’s Kamalapur station for Cox’s Bazar and reached Chattogram early Wednesday. It could not continue its journey due to water on the tracks near Sunnia Madrasa. As a result, the Cox’s Bazar Express service from Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar was cancelled. The Tourist Express on the same route had already been cancelled Tuesday night.
