The Bangladesh government has extended the deadline to complete the 'fast-track' Padma Bridge Rail Link Project up to June 30, 2025, as the present tenure of the project will end on June 30, 2024, with the Bangladesh Railway (BR) giving the final touch to the project, sources in Bangladesh Railways said.  

In December last year, Project Director Md Afzal Hossain sent a letter to Bangladesh Railway requesting them to send the time extension proposal to the Planning Commission.

However, the authorities did not seek a cost extension of the Tk 39,247 crore project that had begun back in January 2016.

The total cost of the project was estimated at 39,246.80 crore taka (4977.40 million US dollars) with Bangladesh government’s contribution was taka 18,210.11 crore (2309.46 million US dollars) and China’s contribution was 21, 036.69 crore taka (2667.94 million US dollars).

The Padma Rail Link Project is being executed by China Railway Group Limited (CREC) with the construction supervision consultant of the Bangladesh Army.

Chinese contractor China Railway Engineering Group (CREC) is working on the project.  

Meanwhile, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on May 3, 2016 approved 'Padma Bridge rail link' project involving an estimated cost of Tk 34,988.86 crore in a bid to set up improved rail connectivity between the capital and the southwestern part of the country through the Padma Bridge.

Initially, the Bangladesh Railway under the Railways Ministry was supposed to implement the 'Padma Bridge rail link' project by June 2022. The project proposal was amended on May 22, 2018, with the cost increasing to Tk 39,247 crore.

The total length of this new track will be 215.22 kilometers, including a three-kilometer double line on Dhaka-Gendaria section.

The railway line is being constructed in three phases (plus a 3km link being built between Dhaka and Gandaria): 37km Gandaria-Mawa section, a 42km Mawa-Bhanga section, and an 87km Bhanga Junction-Jashore section. Some 43.2km of loops, siding and Y-connections bring the total track length to 215.2km.

The railway network through the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, having a provision of roadways on the upper deck and railways in the lower deck, will connect Jessore and then Khulna, Benapole, and Mongla through Mawa and Bhanga.

The railway track will go through seven districts of Dhaka Division-Dhaka, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Shariatpur, Madaripur, Faridpur and Gopalganj-and two districts of Khulna Division-Narail and Jessore.

The proposed project will bring four new districts - Munshiganj, Shariatpur, Madaripur and Narail-under railway network alongside improving the standard of passenger services and passengers' facilities.

The new railway track will go through Motijheel, Sabujbagh, Sutrapur, Demra, Keraniganj, Fatullah, Sirajdikhan, Srinagar, Louhajang and Janzira. Then the track will go through Shibchar, Bhanga of Faridpur, Nagarkanda, Saltha, Moksudpur, and Kashiani of Gopalganj, Lohagara, Narail Sadar, Bagpara and Jessore Sadar.

The Padma Bridge Rail Link would reduce the distance between Dhaka and Jessore; Dhaka and Khulna, and Dhaka and Darshana by 184.72 kilometers, 212.05 kilometers and 44.24 kilometers respectively, alongside increasing the travel time.

Meanwhile, sources said that some parts of construction work of new station buildings, signaling works at stations and culverts and underpasses and ballasted tracks remain pending, sources in the Bangladesh Railway said.

However, the work on embankment, prepared subgrade, sub ballast, construction of viaduct, ballastless track and procurement of broad gauge coaches have been completed.

Meanwhile, the Economic Relations Division (ERD) of the Bangladesh government has sent a proposal to Exim Bank of China to disburse remaining loans as the loan availability period expired on May 17, 2024. Out of 2667.94 million US dollars, China disbursed some 2440 million US dollars to Bangladesh. 

A meeting among Bangladesh Railway, Ministry of Railways, ERD and Exim Bank of China was held on May 16, 2024 regarding expansion of loan availability period. The representative from China Exim Bank agreed in principle that loan availability period will be extended up to 17 November 2004. Bangladesh Railway is waiting for formal confirmation from Exim Bank of China.

Besides, a formal proposal has been sent to Exim Bank of China regarding financial management without changing the loan amount to the contractor to ensure uninterrupted cash flow so that the project can be completed within August 4, 2024. Bangladesh Railway is waiting for consent from the Exim Bank of China regarding financial rearrangement without changing the loan amount.

Against this backdrop, Bangladesh Railway will request the Exim Bank of China to give formal confirmation on extension of loan availability period up to 17 November 2024 and consent for financial rearrangement without increasing the loan amount for successful completion of the fast track project of Bangladesh government.

Chief Planning Officer of Bangladesh Railway  SM Salimullah Bahar while talking to this correspondent said that the rail network of the country will mark a milestone after completion of the Padma Rail Link Project.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen last year  said Padma Bridge Rail Link is a landmark project under the Belt and Road Initiative, and also the largest infrastructure project in Bangladesh using Chinese preferential loans.

As one of the most important infrastructure projects in Bangladesh, he said it is estimated to directly benefit 80 million people and boost economic growth by 1.5%.

On 23 August 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met in South Africa, and injected powerful impetus into China-Bangladesh relations, said Ambassador Yao.

The two leaders spoke highly of the traditional friendship and excellent relations based on mutual respect and support of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity as well as non-interference in each other's internal affairs, he said, "China stands ready to keep providing financing support to the mega projects agreed upon by both sides, and is encouraging more Chinese enterprises to invest in Bangladesh, build more industrial zones so as to help Bangladesh realize its "Vision 2041" strategy and "Sonar Bangla" dream," said the Ambassador.

With the completion of the Padma Bridge next year and the massive ongoing vaccination program in the South Asian countries, Bangladesh will see a boom in local and regional tourism in the coming days, according to experts involved in the travel and tourism sector.

Meanwhile, Prof Akbaruddin Ahmad, former President of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) said recently  “Bangladesh will see a boom in the arrival of the South Asian tourists after completion of the Padma Bridge," “The connectivity with the southern part of the country with the capital will mark a significant improvement that will help boost local and international tourism," he added.

The Padma Bridge is expected to open by next year, setting a milestone in the connectivity of the country.

“The Padma Bridge is expected to unlock the potentials of the region and transform the lives of nearly 30 million people living in the South West. By reducing distances to major urban centres like Dhaka by almost 100km, the Bridge will reduce poverty in the region and accelerate growth and development in the country as a whole,” said a World Bank report.

Meanwhile, Project Director Md Afzal Hossain of Padma Bridge Rail Link Project  Md Afzal Hossain while talking to this correspondent said that the travel time on the Dhaka--Kolkata train service will come down to 4/5 hours after the completion of the project. However, the current  Dhaka--Kolkata train service through Bangabandhu bridge takes 10-11 hours...

Md Rafeuzzaman, president of TOAB and governing body member of the Bangladesh Tourism Board, said: “Tourism is the third largest industry in the world.

Akbaruddin Ahmad said Indian and Nepalese tourists will be interested to visit Bangladesh through the Padma Bridge. Even the government is planning to connect the southern-western part of the country with the capital through improved road and railway networks in phases. The government is also upgrading the Mongla Port, making it an international port, with a view to easing the pressure on the Chattogram Port.

He also sees outbound tourism potentials in CIS countries by the Bangladeshi tourists.

Under the project, 100 modern passenger coaches have already been purchased. New trains will be introduced by decorating the rakes with them.

In October last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated rail service on the much-desired Dhaka-Bhanga railway connectivity via Padma Bridge, the 82-kilometre railway track from Dhaka to Faridpur’s Bhanga upazila under “Padma Bridge Rail Link Construction Project.”