Padma Bridge will start passenger train services today. It establishes new rail connectivity in the southern and southwestern regions of the country with the capital city, Dhaka.
Tonight at 10 p.m., the Antnagar Sundarbans Express train will depart from Khulna station towards Dhaka. According to the railway’s schedule, the train will cross the Padma Bridge consecutively after 4 AM. It is expected to reach Dhaka around 5:10 AM. Tomorrow, on Thursday, at 8:15 AM, the same train will return from Dhaka to Khulna. It is expected to arrive in Khulna in the afternoon at around 4 PM.
The Sundarbans Express train will stop at nine stations on its route from Dhaka to Khulna, including Bhangar, Faridpur City, Rajbari, Kushtia Poradaha, and Chuadanga. The Benapol Express will follow the same route up to Benapol in Jessore.
A project is currently underway to construct rail tracks on both sides of the Padma Bridge. This project, known as the “Padma Bridge Rail Link Project,” is responsible for initiating rail service between Dhaka and Bhangar. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated passenger train services on this route on October 10. However, passenger services are commencing today.
The construction of a new rail line from Bhangar to Gopalganj and Narail to Jessore in the southern and southwestern regions is nearing completion. It is scheduled to open in June. As a result, it will no longer be necessary to travel to Khulna via Rajbari. This will reduce the travel distance in the southern and southwestern regions.
The Padma Bridge was inaugurated on June 25, 2022. Vehicles are currently crossing on the bridge’s upper deck, while the train service is being introduced underneath. A separate project, known as the “Padma Bridge Rail Link Project,” is responsible for connecting both ends of the Padma with rail tracks. It has a planned budget of BDT 34,988 crore, which has now increased to BDT 39,246 crore. The work for this project is being carried out by a Chinese construction firm, the country’s designated institution for railway construction.
The project encompasses the construction of a 169-kilometer rail line from Dhaka to Jessore. It has expanded rail connectivity to new districts such as Keraniganj in Dhaka, as well as Munshiganj, Sharitatpur, and Madaripur districts. Once the entire project is completed, the Narail district will also be included.
