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| Dhaka–Chittagong railway | |
|---|---|
| Name | Dhaka–Chittagong railway |
| Native name | ঢাকা–চট্টগ্রাম রেলপথ |
| Locale | Bangladesh |
| Start | Dhaka |
| End | Chittagong |
| Stations | 36 |
| Open | 1885 |
| Owner | Bangladesh Railway |
| Operator | Bangladesh Railway |
| Line length km | 324 |
| Tracks | Double (partial) |
| Gauge | Broad gauge (1,676 mm) and Metre gauge (1,000 mm) sections historically |
Dhaka–Chittagong railway is the principal intercity rail corridor connecting Dhaka and Chittagong, Bangladesh's largest metropolitan and principal seaport respectively. The line links major urban centers such as Narayanganj, Comilla, Feni, and Brahmanbaria while interfacing with national hubs including Kishoreganj and Noakhali. As a trunk route operated by Bangladesh Railway, it has shaped transport policy under administrations like those led by Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia.
Construction began during the British Raj era when colonial authorities prioritized links between the Bengal delta and port facilities at Chittagong Port. Early surveys involved engineers influenced by projects like the Eastern Bengal Railway and decisions taken in the aftermath of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The line opened in stages in the late 19th century, contemporaneous with works on the Calcutta–Siliguri line and the expansion of the Assam tea transport network. During the Partition of India in 1947 and later the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, the corridor suffered damage and strategic disruption, prompting reconstruction efforts led by administrations including Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s government and later development plans under Ershad. Post-independence rehabilitation drew support from multilateral lenders such as the Asian Development Bank and bilateral partners like Japan and China.
The corridor runs approximately 324 km, traversing the alluvial plains of the Ganges Delta and crossing rivers like the Meghna tributaries and the Karnaphuli River approaches. Major junctions include Narayanganj Junction, Comilla Junction, and Feni Junction. Track layout historically combined metre gauge and broad gauge segments, requiring transshipment at break-of-gauge points; subsequent projects adopted gauge conversion and dual-gauge formation akin to practices on the Howrah–Delhi main line. Key civil structures comprise timber and steel bridges built in the colonial period, later reinforced with prestressed concrete viaducts influenced by standards used on the Kanchanpur Bridge and Dhaka Elevated Expressway engineering. Signaling evolved from manual token systems to centralized traffic control and color-light signaling inspired by installations on the Indian Railways corridors. Stations along the route vary from colonial-era edifices to modern terminals modeled after Chittagong Railway Station upgrades.
Intercity expresses including flagship services connect Dhaka and Chittagong with scheduled journey times often targeted under six hours, competing with road services on the Dhaka–Chittagong Highway and domestic aviation carriers such as Biman Bangladesh Airlines and US-Bangla Airlines. Commuter and mail trains serve intermediate cities, integrating with freight operations that haul container traffic to Chittagong Port and bulk cargo to industrial zones like Sitakunda and Anwara. Timetabling, crew rostering, and maintenance regimes follow administrative protocols of Bangladesh Railway and align with international best practices promoted by organizations like the International Union of Railways and the International Labour Organization for workforce standards. Ticketing systems have migrated from paper to computerized reservations and mobile platforms comparable to implementations by Deutsche Bahn and Japan Railways.
Rolling stock historically included steam locomotives supplied under colonial contracts and later diesel-hydraulic and diesel-electric classes procured from manufacturers such as General Electric, Hyundai Rotem, and Alstom. Carriage types range from air-conditioned coaches to non-AC sleepers and brake vans modeled on designs used by Pakistan Railways and Indian Railways. Freight consists of flat wagons, boxcars, and specialized container wagons to serve the Chittagong Port Trust logistics chain; recent acquisitions have mirrored global trends exemplified by CRRC and Siemens demonstrators in South Asia. Maintenance depots at Kamalapur Railway Workshop and regional yards conduct overhauls, wheel reprofiling, and brake testing to standards comparable to those of the European Union Agency for Railways.
Major projects have focused on doubling tracks, completing gauge conversion to broad gauge continuity, electrification feasibility studies influenced by experiences on the Mumbai Suburban Railway, and corridor capacity enhancement programs funded by the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and bilateral lenders from China’s Belt and Road Initiative partners. Proposals include dedicated freight corridors modeled on the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India concept, introduction of higher-speed intercity services comparable to Shinkansen-era standards, and integration with proposed inland waterways upgrades along the Meghna River. Signaling modernization to ETCS-equivalent standards, station redevelopment inspired by Tokyo Station and Kuala Lumpur Sentral, and procurement of new diesel multiple units aim to increase throughput and safety.
The corridor underpins trade flows to Chittagong Port and influences export-oriented industries in Cox's Bazar tourism supply chains and the Garment industry centered in Dhaka and Gazipur. Enhanced rail capacity reduces reliance on the congested Dhaka–Chittagong Highway, affecting logistics providers like Maersk and MSC that serve containerized trade. Socially, rail connectivity facilitates labor mobility between urban labor markets and remittance networks tied to expatriate communities in Middle East destinations, and impacts access to tertiary institutions such as University of Dhaka and healthcare centers like Chittagong Medical College Hospital.
Accidents and derailments on the route have prompted regulatory responses from the Ministry of Railways (Bangladesh) and investigative actions involving entities like the Bangladesh Railway Police and independent commissions mirroring procedures used by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (UK). Causes reported include track failure, signaling errors, and level-crossing collisions with road vehicles on corridors intersecting with the Dhaka–Chittagong Highway; high-profile incidents have led to infrastructure renewal, level-crossing grade separations, and adoption of automated warning systems akin to those used by Transport for London and Metro Trains Melbourne.
Category:Rail transport in Bangladesh Category:Transport in Dhaka Category:Transport in Chittagong