The railways authorities on Monday inked a contract with an India-based manufacture and supply company to procure 200 broad gauge carriages for the Bangladesh Railway to improve communications in the country鈥檚 southern region.
At the contract signing ceremony, railways minister Zillul Hakim urged expeditious effort from the railway officials to bring these coaches in Bangladesh.
鈥極ur officials are efficient but slow,鈥� he said, adding, 鈥榯hey don鈥檛 believe that it鈥檚 possible to get carriages within 2鈥�3 months and think that it would take 5鈥�6 months,鈥� he said, adding that it was unfortunate for him.
As per the contract, the delivery of the carriages is scheduled to start within 20 months from the effective date of contract and commissioning works to be completed within 36 months from the effective date of contract.
At a ceremony held at the Rail Bhaban in the capital the Bangladesh Railway and RITES Limited, India, signed the contract under a project titled 鈥楶rocurement of 200 Broad Gauge Passenger Carriages for Bangladesh Railway鈥�.
In the signing of the contract, project director Md Zaidul Islam and RITES Limited executive director Rajeev Chaudhary represented Bangladesh Railway and the Indian company respectively.
The contract price for these carriages is Tk 1,205.54 crore.
The source of the fund is the Bangladesh government and European Investment Bank and the project period is between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2026.
Project director Md Zaidul Islam said that in the first two years of the project they had carried out some activities, including appointment of the consultants.
Railways minister Zillul Hakim at the signing event also pointed out that the contract did not give any deadline for the delivery of the carriages, which was essential for future planning.
According to a project document, for inter zonal and inter country rail communication, much work has yet to be done in the country, particularly in terms of overcoming the challenges posed by the Padma and Jamuna rivers.聽
As the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project is already completed and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Railway Bridge Construction Project over the Jamuna River is nearing its end, the rail network is expanding in the south which would soon need those new broad gauge carriages for a smooth operation.聽
The ceremony was attended, among others, by the railways ministry secretary Md Humayun Kabir, railway director general Sardar Shahdat Ali, EU Delegation head of development, cooperation and minister counsellor Michal Krejza, Indian Railway Board additional member (production unit) Sanjay Kumar Pankaj, and RITES Limited chairman and managing director Rahul Mithal.
