Position Paper on ‘Trans Asian Railway’ Network Presentation Sequence Brief of Bangladesh Railway • Operational Information • Historic Land Mark, Vision, Corridors in Bangladesh Railway Regional Connectivity Related to Bangladesh • Opportunities of Bangladesh to be Transport Hub • Regional Railway Connectivity in Bangladesh • TAR, TAR‐4, Seaport Connectivity with TAR network within Bangladesh. • SAARC, SASEC, BIMSTEC, BCIM, SILK ROUTE Major Initiatives for Regional Connectivity • Challenges of Bangladesh Railway • Major investment works under Bangladesh Railway • Major initiatives to establishment of railway connectivity. • Future Plan of Bangladesh Railway. 2 Brief about Bangladesh Railway • 1862: Started its journey as Eastern Bengal Railway with 53.11 km Jagoti- Darsana BG Rail link. • 1947: India and Pakistan separated • 1961: Renamed as Pakistan Eastern Railway. • 1972: Started providing services as Bangladesh Railway. • 1998: East-West Railway connectivity over river Jamuna was established from the day of opening Bangabandhu Bridge. • 2003: Direct BG train communication between East and West zone was established over Bangabandhu Bridge. • 2007: Bangladesh signed TAR agreement. • 2008: Direct passenger train “Maitree Express” between Dhaka and Kolkata established. • 2011: Ministry of Railways formed under SRO-361. • Covers and connects 44 Districts of the country out of 64 Districts. Operational Information of Bangladesh Railway Two Zones: East and West Zone • East Zone: 1333.93 km • MG: 1299.04 km • BG: 676.66 km • DG: 34.89 km • West Zone: 1621.60 km • MG: 547.05 km • BD: 676.66 km • DG: 397.89 km Operational Division: 4 divisions • Dhaka • Chittagong • Paksey • Lalmonirhat Total Route Kilometer: • 2955.53 km • MG:1846.09 km • BG: 676.66 km • DG: 432.78 km Existing Railway Network 4 Historic Land Mark of Bangladesh Railway Jamuna Dedicated Railway Bridge Project On 23 June 1998: The first revolutionary development in BR was to connect east and west zone by rail link through Bangabandhu Bridge. Padma Bridge Project On 14 April On 14 August 2003: 2009: BG Trains Direct BG train come Dhaka communication directly after between East zone Dhaka- (Joydevpur) and Joydevpur West Zone section was (Rajshahi) was converted into started. dual gauge. 5 Vision • To expand and improve the railway system to provide safer, better, a more environment friendly and cost effective transport facility to the national and international traffic. Foster international rail links to serve regional/sub‐regional connectivity and Trans Asian Railway.(perspective plan) • To play an important and dominant role in an integrated transport system by emphasis its strength.(Master Plan) Strategy to Achieve the Vision • Gauge conversion and maintenance enhancement‐Regional Integration • Unlocking line capacity‐Signal and Telecom • New Rail line construction • Rolling stock procurement and maintenance enhancement • Establishment of RDS Unit • To increase market share 6 7 Corridors in Bangladesh Railway 8 Bangladesh Railway: Corridors 9 Establishment of Regional connectivity Vision . To establish Trans-Asian Railway network and SAARC, BIMSTEC, SASEC etc. regional railway corridors through Bangladesh. To achieve seamless movement of freight and passengers across borders. To establish transport hub in Bangladesh. Objectives • To establish a Preferential Trade Area with South Asian Countries by Improving railway Connectivity, Interoperability, Interchange-ability etc. • To fast track regionalisation within South Asian countries to reduce Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs). • To introduce Electronic Data Interchange. • To harmonise Legal, Commercial and Technical Standards. 10 Regional Connectivity Relating to Bangladesh TAR Network • The unique geographical SAARC Route position of Bangladesh will SASEC Corridors lead to become a land BIMSTEC transport Hub and logistic BCIM Route Silk Route centre in the region Regional Transport Connectivity in South Asia ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations BIMP-EAGA Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area CAREC Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation GMS Greater Mekong Subregion IMT-GT Indonesia Malaysia Thailand Growth Triangle PIF Pacific Islands Forum SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Note: Map not to scale REGIONAL RAILWAY CONNECTIVITY IN BANGLADESH There are 8 (Eight) interchange points between India and Bangladesh and one newly proposed, namely SN Interchange Point Status Bangladesh India 1 Darshana Gede In operation 2 Benapole Petrapole In operation 3 Rahonpur Singabad In operation 4 Birol Radhikapur In operation from 8 April 2017 5 Shahbazpur Mohishashan Closed since 7 July 2002. A project for conversion and rehabilitation of the section (Kulaura- Shahbazpur) into DG is going on under Indian Dollar credit line (LOC). 6 Chilahati Holdibari Closed since 1965. “ Construction of Broad Gauge Rail line between Chilahati and Chilahati Border for connectivity with India” has been approved on 18.09.2018 to re-established this interchange point. 7 Burimari Changrabandha Closed since 1971 8 Moghalhat closed since 1998 13 REGIONAL RAILWAY CONNECTIVITY IN BANGLADESH (Contd.) SN Interchange Point Status Bangladesh India New Interchange Points 9 Akhaura Agartala Proposed new connectivity to be constructed under grant from Government of India New Link 10 Feni Belonia Techno economic survey has been completed. Reconstruction of this section may establish Feni- Belonia interchange points. There may be another interchange point between Bangladesh and Myanmar at Gundum, Cox’s Bazar. 14 REGIONAL RAILWAY CONNECTIVITY IN BANGLADESH Existing Regional Connectivity Radhikapur At present Closed Connectivity Proposed new connectivity Singhabad Agartala TARROUTE–1: Gede (West Bengal, India) Trans-Asian Railway network – Darsana – Ishurdi – Jamtoil – Joydebpur – TAR-3 Within Bangladesh Tongi – Akhaura – Radhikapur Birol Dinazpur Chittagong – Dohazari – (India) Gundum – (Mynmar Parbatipur border station). TAR-2 Sub-route – I : Tongi –Singabad Mohishasan Dhaka. (India) Rohanpur Shahbazpur (India) Sub-route – II : Akhaura – Kulaura – Shahbazpur – Abdulpur Kulaura Mahisasan (India) Ishurdi Tongi TARROUTE–2: Dhaka Akhaura Singabad (West Bengal, India) – Rohanpur – Darsana Bhanga TAR-1 Rajshahi – Abdulpur – Jessore Ishurdi and thereafter Gede (India) following the rest of the TAR-4 Benapole TAR-4 route/sub-routes of Route Petrapole KHULNA Chittagong –I. (India) Dohazari TARROUTE–3: Radhikapur (West Bengal, India) – Birol – Dinajpur – Ramu Gundum Parbatipur – Abdulpur – Proposed TAR-4 as [Benapole–Jessore– Ishurdi and thereafter Narail–Bhanga–Mawa– Narayanganj– following the rest of the Dhaka–Tongi and thereafter following Myanmar route/sub-routes of Route the rest of the route/sub-routes of Route –I. –1] Recognition of proposed TAR network as TAR‐4 as [Benapole–Jessore–Narail–Bhanga–Mawa– Narayanganj– Dhaka–Tongi and thereafter following the rest of the route/sub‐routes of Route – 1] Completion Padma Bridge and Padma Railway Link will lead to o reduction of travel distance from kolkata to Dhaka o reduction of travel time. o reduction of operation and maintenance cost Benapol (India)–Jessore–Narail–Bhanga–Mawa– Narayanganj–Dhaka–Tongi would be more prosperous route to be followed by future traffic Railway Connection to southern region (i.e Barguna, Barishal, Jhalkathi, Potuakhali, Pirojpur..) of Bangladesh Padma Railway Link project is scheduled to be completed within June, 2024. 17 Scenario to reach Dhaka from Kolkata by using TAR‐ 1 vs TAR‐4 Within Bangladesh 18 Seaport Connectivity with TAR network within Bangladesh A. Existing Sea port B. Future port • Chittagong port • Payra port • Mongla port • Moheskhali‐Matarbari Deep Sea Port All the ports to offer India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar the facility of shipment after transiting their goods through Bangladesh territory. 20 • Construction of Khulna-Mongla Seaport Connectivity with TAR Port Rail Line (1st network TAR-3 revised within Bangladesh Radhikapur Birol Dinazpur (India) •Feasibility Study Parbatipur TAR-2 with Detail Design Singabad Mohishasan and Tender (India) Rohanpur Shahbazpur (India) Document Kulaura Preparation for Abdulpur Tongi Construction of Ishurdi Rail Line from TAR-4 Dhaka Akhaura Bhanga Junction Darsana Bhanga (Faridpur) to TAR-1 Jessore Payra Port Via Gede Barisal (India) TAR-4 Benapole Petrapole KHULNA Barisal Chittagong (India) •Technical Dohazari Assistance for CTG port Ramu Dhaka- Payra Chittagong-Cox’s Mongla port Gundum Bazar Rail Project port Moheskhali- Matarbari Preparatory Deep sea port Myanmar Facility SAARC Railway corridors in Bangladesh Following SAARC railway corridors passes through Bangladesh (as per SAARC Regional Railways Agreement): 2. Pakistan-India-Bangladesh-India i. Lahore(Pakistan) - Wagah (Pakistan) - Atari (India) - Delhi(India)- Kolkata(India)- Gede/Petrapol (India) - Darshana / Benapol (Bangladesh) - Dhaka(Bangladesh)- Shahbazpur (Bangladesh) - Maishashan (India) – Imphal (India) ii. Lahore(Pakistan) - Wagha (Pakistan) - Atari (India)-Delhi(India)- Kolkata(India)- Gede/Petrapol (India) - Darshana / Benapol (Bangladesh)–Dhaka(Bangladesh)- Akhaura/ Gangasagar (Bangladesh) - Agartala (India) 3. India-Bangladesh • Imphal(India) - Agartala (India) – Akhaura/Gangasagar (Bangladesh) – Chittagong Port (Bangladesh) 22 SAARC Railway corridors in Bangladesh (contd.) 5. Nepal-India-Bangladesh i. Birgunj (Nepal) – Raxaul (India) - Singhabad (India) - Rohanpur (Bangladesh) - Mongla Port/ Chittagong Port