Minister of State for Railways Habibur Rashid announced on Saturday that an additional pair of intercity trains will be launched on Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route within this month to further strengthen rail connectivity with the tourism city.
He also revealed plans to hand over the management of Cox’s Bazar Iconic Railway Station to a private organisation to make it fully operational and ensure international-standard services.
The announcements were made during an exchange of views with journalists following the minister’s inspection of Cox’s Bazar Iconic Railway Station and Ramu Junction Station on Saturday.
Habibur Rashid said the decision to introduce another pair of trains was made in consideration of the increasing demand from tourists and general passengers. He expressed hope that the new service would make travel on this route easier, more comfortable, and time-efficient.
Regarding the Iconic Railway Station, he said the government plans to develop it as an international-standard, tourism-friendly rail hub rather than just a regular station.
“To fully activate all facilities at the station and ensure improved services through modern management, its operation will be handed over to a private firm,” he added.
The minister further detailed the government’s long-term vision to modernise and expand the national rail network.
As part of these plans, dual-gauge railway lines will be constructed from Panchagarh to Cox’s Bazar and from Dhaka to Sylhet. These projects are expected to ease communication between different regions while accelerating economic activity and growth of the tourism industry.
During his visit, the minister inspected various aspects of the station’s infrastructure, including passenger service centres, waiting rooms, security arrangements, cleanliness, ticketing operations, and ongoing development works.
He provided instructions to relevant officials to ensure passenger-friendly services, proper maintenance of infrastructure, and the swift commencement of full operations.
Given that Cox’s Bazar is the country’s primary tourist destination, he said the station will be tailored to suit international tourists. Special priority will be given to passenger security, cleanliness, digital services, and modern management systems.
Lutfur Rahman Kajal, member of parliament for Cox’s Bazar Sadar and fisheries affairs secretary of BNP Central Executive Committee, was present during the inspection.
He was accompanied by senior officials from the Ministry of Railways, representatives from the district administration, and other relevant stakeholders.
