Md Samsuzzaman, Director General (DG) of Bangladesh Railway, has said that when the Padma Bridge rail service is launched, the people of Jashore region will enjoy the benefit.
He said this while speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of Goods Yard expansion work at Benapole Station on Sunday.
Md Shamshuzzaman said that if the Padma Railway Bridge is opened, the trains from Khulna to Dhaka will go to Padma Bridge via Basundia. However, Benapole Express, Kolkata Maitri Express will run directly over Jashore via Padma Bridge to Dhaka. Besides, the number of trains from Benapole port to India will be increased for the convenience of the passengers.
He also said that the Railway Department under the leadership of the Railway Minister is working to implement these master plans in line with the promise of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Construction of double line from Khulna to Ishwardi has already started. There are immediate plans to build a railway terminal at Benapole and a modern railway station at Sharsha. Bangabandhu mural will be constructed at Benapole railway station and Jashore railway station will be modernized. In addition, a parcel express train will be introduced in Gadkhali, the capital of flowers to transport flowers, marginal farmers or crops produced by farmers, he said.
Bangladesh Railway General Manager (West zone, Rajshahi) Mihir Kanti Guha presided over the inaugural function. Benapole Customs Commissioner Azizur Rahman, Benapole Land Port Director Abdul Jalil, Western Railway Chief Engineer-Al Fattah Md. Masudur Rahman Masud, Chief Transport Officer Shahidul Islam, President of Benapole Customs Clearing and Forwarding Association Mofizur Rahman spoke as special guests.
Meanwhile, the Railway DG joined another meeting with stakeholders at Uthali railway station in Chuadanga’s Jibannagar upazila on Saturday afternoon.
At the meeting of Jibannagar, he said, “One hundred twenty five state-of-the-art luggage vans will soon be added to Bangladesh Railway to transport agricultural goods at low cost. There will be 75 meter-gauge and 50 broad-gauge luggage vans. Therefore, it will be easy to reach the agricultural products grown in remote areas of the country to major cities including the capital through these luggage vans.”
Haji Mohammad Ali Azgar Tagar, MP from Chuadanga-2 constituency attended the meeting organised by Pakshi Division of Bangladesh Railway as the chief guest.