TL;DR:
- Train services connecting Dhaka to Benapole via Padma Bridge will launch December 2, with Sundarbans Express departing Khulna at 6 AM and Benapole Express leaving Kamalapur at 11 AM.
- The new 172-kilometer broad gauge rail line, constructed at Tk 37,155 crore, will reduce travel time to just 3.5 hours between Dhaka and Benapole.
- The route will cut the Dhaka-Jashore distance by 200 kilometers, reducing current travel time from 8 hours to approximately 4 hours.
- China provided more than half of the project funding, making it Bangladesh’s largest railway investment, with the Dhaka-Bhanga section already operational since October 2023.
Bangladesh is set to launch train services on the Dhaka-Benapole route via the Padma Bridge on December 2, marking a significant advancement in the country’s railway connectivity. The new service will drastically reduce travel time between the capital and southwestern regions.
Railway officials confirmed that the Sundarbans Express will commence its journey from Khulna to Kamalapur Railway Station at 6:00 AM, while the Benapole Express will depart from Kamalapur for Benapole at approximately 11:00 AM on the inaugural day.
The journey time between Dhaka and Benapole will be remarkably shortened to just three and a half hours. This improvement comes through a newly constructed broad gauge single rail line that connects existing Khulna-bound tracks via Rupdia and Singia stations. The 172-kilometer railway line from Kamalapur to Rupdia and Singiya stations has been constructed at a cost of Tk 37,155 crore.
“We are hopeful about officially launching passenger train services on the Dhaka-Benapole section via the Padma Bridge from December 2,” said Padma Rail Link Project Director Md Afzal Hossain.
The new route will reduce the distance between Dhaka and Jashore by 200 kilometers, effectively halving the current travel time of eight hours, according to India Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce Director Matiar Rahman. This development is expected to boost trade relations between Bangladesh and India.
The project represents the largest railway investment in Bangladesh’s history, with more than half of the funding provided through Chinese loan assistance. The railway’s Dhaka-Bhanga section, which opened in October last year, currently operates five trains daily.
This expansion of rail connectivity via the Padma Bridge continues to strengthen Bangladesh’s transportation infrastructure, promising improved mobility and economic opportunities for the region’s residents.
Source: The Daily Star
