Bangladesh Railway

{{multiple issues|refimprove=August 2009|update=August 2009}} '''Bangladesh Railway''' ([[Bengali language|Bengali]]: '''বাংলাদেশ রেলওয়ে''' ) ([[reporting mark]] '''BR''') is the state-owned [[rail transport]] agency of [[Bangladesh]]. It operates and maintains the entire railway network of the country. BR is controlled by the Directorate General of Bangladesh Railway under the Ministry of Communications along with Bangladesh Railway Authority (BRA) which works for policy guidance of BR. Key features of BR are the coexistence of several gauges, [[Indian gauge|Broad gauge]], [[Metre gauge]] and [[dual gauge]], and the separation of the system by the [[Jamuna River (Bangladesh)|Jamuna River]] (Brahmaputra) into a Western and Eastern Zone of operations with only one bridge, the 2003 [[Jamuna Bridge]], connecting the two zones. Bangladesh Railway covers a length of 2,855 route kilometres and employs 34,168 people. BR operates international, inter-city and suburban rail systems on its multi-gauge network. It also owns coach production facilities. ==History== Railway operation in today's Bangladesh began on November 15, [[1862]] when 53.11 kilometres of {{RailGauge|66}} ([[Indian gauge|broad gauge]]) line were opened for traffic between Dorshona of [[Chuadanga District]] and Jogotee of [[Kushtia District]]. The next 14.98 kilometres {{RailGauge|1}} ([[metre gauge]]) line was opened for traffic on 4 January [[1885]]. In [[1891]], the construction of then [[Bengal Assam Railway]] was taken up by the [[British Government]] assistance but that was later on taken over by the Bengal Assam Railway Company. On 1 July [[1895]], two sections of metre gauge lines were opened between [[Chittagong]] and [[Comilla]], a length of 149.89 kilometres and between [[Laksam Upazila]] and [[Chandpur District]], a length of 50.89 kilometres. Railway Companies formed in [[England]] took up the construction and operation of these sections in middle and late 19th century. At time of the [[partition of India]] in [[1947]], Bengal-Assam Railway was split up and the portion of the system, about 2,603.92 kilometres fell within the boundary of then [[East Pakistan]] and control remained with the central Government of Pakistan. Later with the effect from 1 February 1961, Eastern Bengal Railway was renamed as Pakistan Eastern Railway. Then in 1962, the control of Pakistan Eastern Railway was transferred from the Central Government to the Government of East Pakistan and placed under the management of a Railway Board with the effect from the financial year 1962-63 by the presidential Order of 9 June 1962. As of 2005, the total length of railroad is 2,855 kilometres. Of that, 660 km are [[Indian gauge|broad gauge]] tracks (mostly in the western region), 1,830 km are [[metre gauge]] tracks (mostly in the central and eastern regions) and 365 km are [[dual gauge]] tracks. The gauge problem is being tackled by adding third rails to the most important broad and metre gauge routes, so that they become [[dual gauge]]. A major [[Jamuna Bridge|road-rail bridge]] at [[Jamuna River (Bangladesh)|Jamuna]] opened in 1998 to connect the previously detached east and west rail networks. On March 2008, the broad gauge reached [[Dhaka]], the national capital. Funding is being sought to upgrade the network and transform Bangladesh Railway into a profitable business. BR exceeded its target revenue earnings in the fiscal year 2007-2008. ==Organisational structure== [[Image:Map Bangladesh RoadRail.png|220px|thumb|Map of Railway system in Bangladesh; [[Jamuna Bridge]] not shown.]] After independence, the railway was first supervised by a Railway Board which was abolished in 1982. Thereafter, the BR came under the jurisdiction of the Railway Division of the Ministry of Communications with the Secretary of the Division working as the Director General of BR. In 1995, instead of being the part of the Ministry, BR came under control of a professional Director General supervised by the '''Bangladesh Railway Authority''' that is chaired by the Minister of Communications. BR is divided into two zones, East & West, each under control of a general manager who is accountable to the Director General of Bangladesh Railway. The two zones have their separate departments for operation, maintenance, and finances. Each zone is divided into two divisions that contain departments for Personnel,Transportation, Commercial,Finance Mechanical, Way and Works Signaling & Telecommunication, Electrical, Medical, etc. Each zone also has its Workshop Divisions, located at [[Pahartali Thana|Pahartali]] and [[Saidpur, Rajshahi Division|Saidpur]], respectively. A locomotive workshop is located at [[Parbatipur Upazila|Parbatipur]] for broad and metre gauge locomotives. BR manages its own Railway Training Academy. A separate Directorate under the Ministry of Communications is charged to inspect different works of BR in relation to safety. ==Services== [[File:Jamuna Express.jpg|thumb|200px|Bangladesh Railway, Jamuna Express at Kamlapur Railway Station]] Bangladesh Railway provides various types of services ranging from shuttle service for university students to freight and cargo service. But still BR could not make profit as it is providing services to the nation at a subsidised rate in order to help the country's economy and for the ease of people. ===Passenger Service=== Bangladesh Railway is one of the principal modes of transportation in the country. During 2004-2005, about 42 million passengers were transported by Bangladesh Railway. Bangladesh Railway introduced Intercity Train services in 1985. At present there are 54 Intercity Trains running. Around 38.5% of the total passengers of Bangladesh Railway are being carried by the Intercity trains which contribute approximately 73.3% of the total earning of passenger traffic. ====Maitree Express==== The [[Maitree Express]] is an international train in operation since 2008 and links Dhaka and [[Kolkata]], India; the travel time is 13 hours. [[File:BR ticket.jpg|thumb|right| A [[Dhaka|Dhaka (Airport)]]–[[Chittagong]] InterCity train ticket for 3 adults and a minor]] ===Accommodation classes=== Bangladesh Railway features mainly three classes of Travel. Air Conditioned Class, First Class and Second Class. Third Class was withdrawn with effect from August 1, 1989. Most of the trains have the First Class and Second Class only. Second Class is divided into ''Shovon Chair'', ''Shovon'', and ''Shulov'' sub-classes. In some trains a separate mail compartment is present. In Inter-City and long-distance trains, a pantry car and a power car is included in the center. All Inter-City trains are partially airconditioned, feature padded leather seats and berths and provide passengers with on-demand sheets, pillows, blankets, as well as meals and refreshments. {| class="toccolours" cellspacing="1" style="border:1px solid black;" ! style="background:#b0c4de;"| Class ! style="background:#b0c4de;"| Description |- | style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| '''Tapanukul (তাপানুকূল)'''
'''First class AC''' | valign="top" | This is the most expensive class. This air conditioned coach is present only on popular Inter-City routes. The coaches are carpeted, have sleeping accommodation, ample leg room and have privacy features like personal coupes. |- | valign="top" |'''First class (প্রথম শ্রেণী )''' | valign="top" | This class is basically non air-conditioned. Has sleeping berths, ample leg room. |- | valign="top" | '''First class Chair
(প্রথম শ্রেণী চেয়ার )''' | valign="top" | Seater coach with a total of five seats in a row on broad gauge trains and four seats in a row on metre gauge trains. used for day travel between cities. |- | valign="top" | '''2nd Class-Shovon Chair
(২য় শ্রেণী-শোভন চেয়ার) ''' | valign="top" | The 2nd Class Shovon Chair is basically a seater coach preferred by most of the middle-class passengers. Has a total of five seats in a row on broad gauge trains and four seats in a row on metre gauge trains |- | valign="top" | '''2nd Class-Shovon
(২য় শ্রেণী-শোভন) ''' | valign="top" | One of the cheapest classes. seats are not very comfortable. |- | valign="top" | '''2nd Class-Shulov
(২য় শ্রেণী- সুলভ) ''' | valign="top" | The cheapest accommodation, with seats made of pressed wood or steel and are cushioned. Only found in sub-urban and short-distance routes. Although entry into the compartment is guaranteed, a sitting seat is not guaranteed. These coaches are usually very crowded. |} ===Fares and ticketing=== BR Fares are relatively cheaper than the bus fares. Ticketing services are available at all railway stations across Bangladesh. All railway stations are computerised and connected to a central network. Printed tickets are provided to the passengers. Tickets can be bought 10 (ten) days before the journey. 100% (excluding clerical charge) refund is available if the ticket is returned 48hrs prior to departure. Ticket(s) can also be purchased through mobile phone. *For more information, please visit [http://www.bdtransportinfo.com Largest bangladeshi transport website] ===Freight and cargo service=== The railway has been facing tough competition with other modes of transport for the high rated traffic, which pay more revenue. As a national carrier, BR is obliged to carry essential commodities like food grains, fertilizer, jute, cement, coal, iron and steel, stone & boulders, petroleum products, salt, sugar etc. to the remote corners of the country at a cheaper rate. The freight traffic during 2004-2005 was 3,206 thousand Metric Tons. Bangladesh Railway transports containers from [[Chittagong]] to [[Dhaka]]. Special type Flat Wagons required for container movement were initially arranged by converting some existing wagons. Subsequently 80 bogie container flats were procured from China and another 100 bogie container flats were procured from India. An Inland Container Depot has been opened at Dhaka with custom and port facilities for clearance of container traffic. Exclusive container train was introduced on 5 August 1991. Since then, volume of container traffic gained momentum. ===Railway ferry service=== There were 25 marine vessels under Mechanical Department at the end of 2004-2005. The fleet of the marine vessels consists of 2 Passenger vessels, 4 Tugs, 4 Wagon Ferry Barges, 5 Pontoon ramps, 5 Flats and 5 Berthing flats. ===Diesel=== [[File:Alco in Jessore.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Alco]] diesel locomotive near Jessore, Bangladesh]] Bangladesh Railway's fleet of [[diesel locomotive]]s includes both diesel-electric and diesel-hydraulic machines. Fleet at 30th June 2005: Diesel-electric * Broad gauge, 68 * Metre gauge, 185 * Total, 253 Diesel-hydraulic * Broad gauge, 10 * Metre gauge, 23 * Total, 33 ===Steam=== A small number of [[steam locomotive]]s is preserved in Bangladesh. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Location ! Builder ! Wheel
arrangement ! Gauge |- | Dhaka Railway HQ | [[Nippon Sharyo|Nippon]] | [[2-8-2]] | [[Metre gauge]] |- | Saidpur Works | [[W. G. Bagnall]] | [[2-4-0]]T | {{railgauge|30}} |- | Saidpur Works | [[Vulcan Foundry]] | [[0-6-0]] | {{railgauge|66}} |- | Paksay Railway HQ | Vulcan Foundry? | [[2-4-0]]T | {{railgauge|30}} |} The 762 mm gauge locomotives are from the Rupsa-[[Bagerhat District|Bagerhat]] railway which was the only 762 mm gauge line in East Pakistan when colonial India was partitioned in 1947. It was re-gauged to 1,676 mm gauge in 1970. ==Workshops== Bangladesh Railway has sheds, depots and workshops for maintenance. Rolling Stock, Locomotives are maintanied in 3 places viz shed shop & CLW. Carriage & Wagons are maintained in two places i.e. in C&W Depot & workshop. Locomotives are maintained in following workshops : *Central Locomotive Workshop at Parbatipur, [[Dinajpur District, Bangladesh|Dinajpur]]. *Diesel Workshop at Pahartali, [[Chittagong]]. *Diesel Workshop, [[Dhaka]]. *Diesel Workshop at Parbatipur, [[Dinajpur District, Bangladesh|Dinajpur]]. Carriages & wagons are maintained in following workshops *C & W Shop at Saidpur, [[Nilphamari]] *C&W shop at Pahartali, [[Chittagong]]. == Existing railway stations == [[File:Railway station.jpg|thumb|right|[[Kamalapur Railway Station]], the central railway station in [[Dhaka]]]] Bangladesh Railway had a total of 454 railway stations at the end of the year 2004-05. These include one block hut, thirteen train halts and four goods booking points. [[File:Sylhet Railway.jpg|thumb|right|Sylhet Railway Station]] * [[Jessore]], Bangladesh - junction - [[broad gauge|BG]] * Shantahar - Dual gauge junction in [[Bogra]] district * [[Abdulpur]] - Dual gauge junction * [[Gede, Nadia|Gede]] - W - broad gauge * Poradoho - broad gauge junction * [[Bogra]] - proposed broad gauge junction * Dorshona Junction - broad gauge * [[Ishordi|Ishwardi]] - W - broad gauge junction for [[Sirajganj]] and [[Jamuna River (Bangladesh)|Jamuna]]. * Ishwardi bypass - W - dual gauge * Kanchon - W - metre gauge * [[Sirajganj]] - W - terminus of branch from [[Ishwardi]] - river port - bypassed by [[Jamuna Bridge]] in 2003 * [[Bagerhat]] - W - BG - branch terminus in southwest. * [[Joydepur]] - E - DG - dual gauge junction * Syedpur- metre gauge * [[Sylhet]] - metre gauge * [[Bhairab Bazar]] - metre gauge * [[Darsana]] - broad gauge * [[Khulna]] - broad gauge * [[Parbatipur Upazila|Parbatipur]] - Junction with [[break of gauge]] * Jamtoil * [[Faridpur, Bangladesh|Faridpur]] - SW * [[Khulna]] - SW * [[Basabari]] - SW - branch terminus * Jarla - E - MG - terminus branch * [[Tongi]] - E - Dual gauge junction just north of [[Dacca]] * [[Dhaka]] - E - Dual gauge since 2007 ** [[Kamalapur Rail Station]] - E - the main rail station in [[Dhaka]] ** [[Tejgaon]] Rail Station - E ** [[Banani]] Rail Station- E ** [[Dhaka Cantonment]] Rail Station - E ** [[Zia International Airport]] Rail Station - E * [[Chittagong]] - E - metre gauge * Ibrahimabad (Bongobondhu Shetu Poorbo) - E - dual gauge * [[Tangail]] - E - dual gauge - near [[Jamuna Bridge]]. * [[Gouripur, Bangladesh]] - E - [[metre gauge|MG]] - junction * [[Laksham]] - E - MG - junction * Kulaura Railway Junction Station Metre Gauge === Proposed duplication=== * Chinki Astana - E * [[Nazir Hat]] - E - MG - terminus of branch from [[Chittagong]] * [[Chandpur District]] - E - MG - terminus of branch line from [[Laksham]] - river port. === Train ferry === A [[train ferry]] goes from: * Baalashi Ghat of [[Gaibandha District]] to Baahadurabad Ghat of [[Jamalpur District]]. ==Accidents== * July 11, 2006 – A train collide with crowded bus at an unmanned railroad crossing at [[Akkelpur Upazila]], [[Jaipurhat District]], killing at least 33, another 30 are injured. * October 13, 2007 – 4 die and over 50 are injured when the rear carriages of the Probhati Express derails near [[Dhaka]]. * April 16, 2008 – According to [[ATN Bangla]] television report, a [[Dinajpur District, Bangladesh|Dinajpur]]–Dhaka Ekoto Express train collides with a local bus on a level crossing on the outskirts of Kalihati, [[Tangail District]] killing 18 and injuring 30. * May 14, 2008 – According to ATN Bangla television report, an Upaban Express train rams into the rear of [[Noakhali]] Express train at [[Ashuganj Upazila]] station, [[Brahmanbaria District]] killing 8 and injuring 100. * December 8, 2010 - A collision between passenger trains killed at least 10 people. == Timeline == * '''2006:''' $430m plan to upgrade railways in Bangladesh * '''2007:''' [[Sonadia]], an island 7 km west of [[Cox's Bazaar]] seems likely to be chosen as a [[List of deep water ports|deep water port]]. * '''2009:''' Canarail to advise on duplication Laksam to Chinki Astana of [[Dhaka]] to [[Chittagong]] line * '''2010''' Funding awarded for a bridge over [[Titas River]]. Also, in September 2010, the government of Bangladesh approved 10 rail development projects worth a total of 19·9bn taka; these include plans for new tracks and new rolling stock. * '''2011''' A link across several rivers to [[Cox's Bazaar]] has been started, with completion by 2013. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina officially launched construction the link. The 100 kilometre gauge line will start from the current railhead at [[Dohazari]], southeast of Chittagong, and run to Satkania, Dulahazra, Chakarin, Edgaon, Ramu and [[Cox's Bazar]], with four major river bridges. A 28 kilometre branch will run from Ramu to Gundum. == Railway links with adjacent countries == [[Rail transport in India|India]] - Yes. Bi-weekly passenger train service. The [[Maitri Express]] between [[Dhaka]] and [[Kolkata]] started in April 2008 using the Gede-Darsana route. In addition there is a goods train service from Singhabad, Petrapole, Radhikapur, Mahisasan in India to Rohanpur, Benapole, Birol, Shabazpur in Bangladesh, respectively. ** A new rail link between Agartala, India and Akhaura was approved by the Government of India in September 2011. [[Rail transport in Nepal|Nepal]] via India - Freight services started in 2011. No passenger services currently. [[Rail transport in Burma|Burma]] - Not yet -{{RailGauge|1000mm}}/{{RailGauge|1676mm}} gauge in Bangladesh and {{RailGauge|1000mm}} in Burma. == Map== * [http://www.railway.gov.bd/routemap.asp Rail route map] Official map from Bangladesh Railway, with Jamuna Bridge. Many station names are hard to read. Map legend names are also hard to read. == See also == * [[Transport in Bangladesh]] * [[List of deep water ports]] * [[Train ferry]] * [[May 2007 in rail transport|Proposed India via Bangladesh to Myanmar Railway]] ==External links== * [http://www.railway.gov.bd/ Official site, contains timetables] {{coord missing|Bangladesh}} {{Asia in topic|Rail transport in}}