Accidents are occurring regularly across the country due to dilapidated railway lines and poor maintenance, creating extreme risks in railway operations, the government told parliament.
Rail Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam informed the National Parliament that a project titled “Rehabilitation and Maintenance of Railway Lines in the Eastern Region of Bangladesh Railway” has been adopted to repair tracks in the eastern region.
The minister disclosed the information on Sunday in response to a written question from Bogra-4 constituency MP Md Mosharraf Hossain, with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed presiding.
The minister said tenders have already been invited under two packages to start the project work quickly. Tenders were opened on 8 April, and technical and financial evaluations are currently ongoing.
As soon as this process is completed, the railway authorities will begin repair work by appointing contractors, he added.
The minister further informed that parallel plans have also been taken to ensure the safety of railway lines in the western region.
A Development Project Proposal (DPP) has been prepared for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the western region’s railway lines, which is currently awaiting approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec).
Once these two projects are implemented, the risk of accidents on the railway network will be significantly reduced, the minister said. At the same time, train travel will become much more comfortable and safer than before, along with improved passenger services.
