Map of the Railway system in Bangladesh

A Train operated by Bangladesh Railway

Bangladesh Railway's headquarters are located in the southern port city of Chittagong, which had historically been the south-eastern terminus of the Assam-Bengal Railway. After independence from Pakistan in 1971, only a small length of additional new tracks were laid .

As of 2005, the total length of railroad is 2,706 km.^[1] Of that, 923 km are broad gauge (1.676 meter) tracks (mostly in the western region), while the remaining 1,822 km are metre gauge tracks (mostly in the central and eastern regions). The gauge problem is being tackled by adding third rails to the most important broad and metre gauge routes, so that they become dual gauge.

A major road-rail bridge at Jamuna opened in 1998 to connect the previously isolated east and west rail networks.

As of March 2008, the broad gauge reached Dhaka the national capital, though only up to Dhaka Cantonment,DOHS Baridhara.

Funding is being sought to upgrade the network and transform Bangladesh Railway into a profitable business.^[2]

The border between India and Bangladesh cuts across rail lines, forcing them into the other country for short distances. This complicates border controls such as passport validation.

Railway links with adjacent countries

• India - yes. Bi-weekly passenger train service between Dhaka and Kolkata started in April 2008 using the Gede-Darsana route^[3] In addition there is freight train service from Singhabad in India to Rohanpur in Bangladesh, Petrapole to Benapole, Radhikapur to Birol and Mahisasan to Shahbazpur.
• Myanmar - no - not yet - 1000mm/1676mm gauge in Bangladesh and 1000mm in Myanmar.

Existing railway stations

Map of Railway system in Bangladesh

• Jessore, Bangladesh - junction - BG
• Shantahar - Dual gauge junction in Pabna district
• Abdulpur - Dual gauge junction
• Gede - W - broad gauge
• Poradoho - broad gauge junction
• Bogra - proposed broad gauge junction
• Darshana Junction - broad gauge
• Ishwardi - W - broad gauge junction for Sirajganj and Jamuna.
• Ishwardi Bypass - W - dual gauge
• Kanchon - W - metre gauge
• Sirajganj - W - terminus of branch from Ishwardi - river port - bypassed by Jamuna bridge in 2003 ^[4]
• Pabna - W - BG - branch terminus (used to be through route)
• Bagerhat - W - BG - branch terminus in southwest.
• Joydepur - E - DG -Dual gauge junction

• Syedpur- meter gauge
• Sylhet - meter gauge

• Bhairab Bazar - meter gauge
• Darsana - broad gauge
• Khulna - broad gauge
• Parbatipur
• Parbotipur - Junction with break of gauge
• Jamtoil

• Faridur - SW
• Khulna - SW
• Basabari - SW - branch terminus

• Jarla - E - MG - terminus branch
• Tongi - E - Dual gauge junction just north of Dacca
• Dhaka - E - Dual gauge since 2007
  • Kamalapur Rail Station - E - the main rail station in Dhaka
  • Tejgaon - E
  • Banani - E
  • Cantonment - E
  • Airport - E
• Chittagong - E - meter gauge
• Abrahimabad - E - dual gauge
• Tangail - E - dual gauge - near Jamuna bridge.
• Gouripur, Bangladesh - E - MG - junction
• Laksham - E - MG - junction
• Nazir Hat - E - MG - terminus of branch from Chittagong
• Chandipur, Bangladesh - E - MG - terminus of branch line from Laksham - river port.

Train ferry

A train ferry goes from:

• Balashi Ghat to Bahadurabad Ghat ^[5].

Timeline

• 2007: Sonadia, an island 7km west of Cox's Bazaar seems likely to be chosen as a deep water port. ^[6]

• 2006: $430m plan to upgrade railways in Bangladesh ^[7]

See also

• Transport in Bangladesh
• List of deep water ports
• Train ferry

References

Maps

• Rail route map
• Rail route map - Does not show dual gauge or Jamuna bridge.
• http://www.mapsofworld#.com/bangladesh/bangladesh-railnetwork-map.html
• UNJCL Map

• Rail route map from Bangladesh Railway
• Rail route map 2002 - Does not show dual gauge or Jamuna bridge or border stations or borders.
• UNJCL Map
• UNHCR Map - Does not show Jamuna bridge

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