Benapole-Jashore-Narail-Khulna-Dhaka train service to start on December 2 via Padma Bridge

The much-awaited Benapole-Jashore-Narail-Khulna-Dhaka section will officially start operating from December 2. On Thursday, November 21, Padma Rail Link Project Director Md. Afzal Hossain said this.

He said, we are optimistic about the official start of passenger train service on the Benapole-Dhaka section via Padma Bridge from December 2.

He also said that the Sundarbans Express train will leave Khulna for Kamalapur at 6 am on December 2, and the Benapole Express will leave Kamalapur for Benapole at around 11 am on the same day.

The project director said that the total journey time from Benapole to Dhaka will be approximately three and a half hours.

He said the newly constructed broad gauge single line railway track connects the existing Khulna-bound railway track via Rupdia and Singia stations.

He also said the government has constructed a 172-km new railway track from Kamalapur to Rupdia and Singia stations at a cost of Tk 37,155 crore.

The progress was announced after the Government Inspector of Bangladesh Railways (GIBR) inspected the line from Jessore to Bhanga.

Bangladesh Railway has constructed a 172-km broad gauge single line from Jessore to Dhaka via Padma Bridge, which is the largest project for the railway in terms of cost. China is providing more than half of the cost as loan assistance.

The Bhanga-Dhaka section of this line was opened in October last year and five trains are running on this section.

If the Benapole-bound railway line via Padma Bridge is opened, the distance from Jessore to Dhaka will be reduced by 200 km, which will reduce the travel time by half. Currently, it takes more than eight hours to reach Jessore.
The line will also directly connect one of the country's largest ports, Benapole, and two seaports - Chittagong and Mongla.
Station Master of Jessore Railway Junction Aynal Hasan said that he has not yet received any instructions or information regarding the operation of trains on the Benapole - Jessore-Narail-Dhaka route. Discussions and exchange of views on the matter are underway. The matter may be finalized in the next few days.

Station Master of Benapole Railway Station Saiduzzaman said that it has been learned that the train operating from Benapole will operate on the current route. And no instructions have been received yet for the operation of new trains or trains on the Jessore-Narail-Dhaka route.