Govt plans rail links to all districts, four new projects: minister
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Staff Correspondent 09 September, 2026, 19:52
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The government plans to bring all districts under the railway network in phases, with four new initiatives being taken to expand rail connectivity, Railways minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam told Jatiya Sangsad on Wednesday.
Replying to a question from Cox’s Bazar-3 lawmaker Lutfur Rahman, the minister said the government was implementing several projects to expand the network and conducting feasibility studies for further extensions in line with its election manifesto and Bangladesh railway’s master plan.
The country currently has 3,428.09km of railway routes, comprising 1,591.43km of metre gauge, 1,066.60km of broad gauge and 770.06km of dual gauge. The total track length is 4,826.097km, including 2,307.383km of metre gauge, 1,434.19km of broad gauge and 1,084.526km of dual gauge, he said.
Three railway expansion projects are currently under implementation: construction of a broad-gauge line from Madhukhali via Kamarkhali to Magura town; construction of a new dual-gauge line from Bogura to Sirajganj; and a feasibility study for railway connectivity to Sherpur and Roumari.
The feasibility study for a new broad-gauge line from Navaron through Satkhira to Bhomra land port has been completed, while the development project proposal is being processed, the minister said.
The four new initiatives involve feasibility studies for extending the railway from Chaumuhani to Lakshmipur, from Jharia Jhanjail to Durgapur in Netrakona, and from Sylhet to Jaflong, as well as constructing a chord line from Dhaka to Cumilla.
The minister said further projects would be taken up in phases to extend railway connectivity to all districts across the country.