The Complexities of Bangladesh’s Railway Transit and Its Controversial India Connection

This past June, Bangladesh’s former government granted India permission to use its railway network, a move India hailed as a major diplomatic victory. However, within Bangladesh, the decision stirred significant controversy.

Initially, India was granted access to the Darshana–Ishwardi–Parbatipur–Chilahati–Haldibari route, which wasn’t India’s preferred transit corridor. For years, India had lobbied to use the Benapole–Jessore–Dhaka–Akhaura–Agartala route. This route would have reduced the distance between West Bengal and India’s northeastern states of Mizoram and Manipur by approximately 4,000 kilometers. Despite strong support from Bangladesh’s former government, India was unable to secure this route. The reasons behind this outcome are fascinating and tied intricately to the state of Bangladesh’s railway infrastructure.

The Roots of the Issue: Revisiting the Railway Master Plan

To understand the complexities, we must go back to 2007, when Bangladesh Railway developed a 20-year “Railway Master Plan 2010-2030.” The plan identified the lack of a unified gauge system as the primary obstacle for the railway.

Bangladesh Railway is divided into two zones:

1. Western Zone (west of the Jamuna, Padma, and Meghna rivers): Predominantly broad-gauge (BG) lines, though meter-gauge (MG) lines are also present.
2. Eastern Zone (east of these rivers): Almost entirely meter gauge.

This dual-gauge system creates operational inefficiencies since BG trains cannot run on MG lines and vice versa. As a result, passenger trains from regions like Rangpur, Rajshahi, and Khulna in the Western Zone cannot directly reach cities like Sylhet, Chittagong, or Mymensingh in the Eastern Zone.

The master plan proposed dual-gauge tracks as a solution. Dual-gauge lines can accommodate both MG and BG trains, thus enhancing operational flexibility. The plan mandated that any future rail construction, renovation, or upgrades must prioritize dual-gauge systems.

Additionally, the plan emphasized:

• Doubling major tracks: Especially the Dhaka–Chittagong corridor, Bangladesh’s busiest railway route, which had significant stretches of single-track sections.
• Upgrading crossings and minimizing road interruptions: New rail lines and renovations were to prioritize grade-separated crossings for smoother operations.

Dhaka–Chittagong Line: A Missed Opportunity

Despite its critical importance, the Dhaka–Chittagong route was not entirely upgraded to dual gauge. In 2011, plans were made to double the Tongi–Bhairab Bazar section, a vital 64-kilometer stretch shared by Sylhet-bound trains. However, against the master plan’s directives, this section was constructed as a meter-gauge double line in 2016, costing around Tk. 4,000 crore.

At the same time, the adjacent Akhaura–Laksam section was upgraded to a dual-gauge double line. As a result, trains traveling from Dhaka to Chittagong now encounter a patchwork of gauge systems:

• Tongi to Akhaura: Meter-gauge double line.
• Akhaura to Laksam: Dual-gauge double line.
• Laksam to Chittagong: Meter-gauge double line.

India’s Interests and Constraints

India’s desire to use the Benapole–Dhaka–Akhaura–Agartala route aligns with its goal of reducing transit times to its northeastern states. In support of this, India funded the construction of a 15-kilometer dual-gauge line between Akhaura and Agartala with a grant of Tk. 580 crore. However, operationalizing this corridor is not feasible due to the inconsistent gauge systems:

• The Tongi–Bhairab Bazar section is meter gauge, while the Dhaka–Benapole section is broad gauge.

Thus, despite India’s lobbying and Bangladesh’s willingness, technical limitations prevented the project from moving forward.

The Irony: A Costly Oversight

While India was denied this route, discussions emerged in 2023 about upgrading the Tongi–Akhaura meter-gauge section to dual gauge. Bangladesh Railway even began feasibility studies for this Tk. 4,000-crore project, which is expected to be funded by Indian loans. This raises serious questions:

• Why spend a massive amount on a meter-gauge project only to upgrade it a decade later?
• Was this oversight a result of negligence or intentional planning to create future opportunities for corruption?

A Broader Issue of Governance

The inability to follow the master plan highlights deeper problems in governance. If the Dhaka–Chittagong line had been upgraded entirely to broad-gauge double tracks, Bangladesh’s railway network could have been revolutionized. The existing locomotives and coaches are capable of speeds exceeding 120 km/h. With proper infrastructure, the 321-kilometer Dhaka–Chittagong journey could be completed in under four hours.

Instead, the fragmented upgrades have left the system inefficient. While some argue this benefits vested interests by creating avenues for repeated investments, it underscores a lack of accountability in project implementation.

Conclusion: A Cautionary Tale

The state of Bangladesh Railway today reflects systemic inefficiencies, mismanagement, and potential corruption. Even international stakeholders like China have played a role in shaping this trajectory, as Chinese contractors were involved in constructing the flawed Tongi–Bhairab Bazar project.

Bangladesh’s railway system holds immense potential, but it requires vision, integrity, and adherence to long-term planning to unlock that potential. For now, the network’s disjointed development remains a lesson in the costs of poor governance and misplaced priorities.