Train services from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar will be able to operate without stopping at Chattogram Railway Station following a major rail infrastructure upgrade, supported by a USD 690 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The loan—equivalent to Tk 8,280 crore—will finance the development of the 35-kilometre railway section between Chattogram and Dohazari under the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Chattogram–Dohazari Railway Project. As part of the project, a 2.5-kilometre railway bypass will also be constructed, enabling uninterrupted rail connectivity between Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar.
The project is expected to establish seamless connectivity along the Dhaka–Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar corridor, significantly enhancing regional transport services and contributing to economic growth. The work will be implemented under the project titled “Conversion of the Chattogram–Dohazari Meter Gauge Railway into Dual Gauge Railway”, executed by Bangladesh Railway under the Ministry of Railways.
The loan agreement was signed on Monday at the Economic Relations Division (ERD) office in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. ERD Secretary Shahriar Kader Siddiky and ADB Country Director Hoe Yun Jeong signed the agreement on behalf of their respective institutions. Senior officials from both sides were present at the signing ceremony.
According to the agreement, the loan will be repayable over 25 years, including a five-year grace period, as stated in separate press releases issued by ERD and ADB.
Speaking at the event, ADB’s Country Director said the project would play a crucial role in strengthening rail connectivity between Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar. He noted that improved rail infrastructure would encourage a shift from road to rail transport, while boosting economic activities along the Dhaka–Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar corridor—particularly in the tourism and fisheries sectors.
The project aims to convert 52 kilometres of railway track in the Chattogram–Dohazari section into a dual-gauge line, connect the Dhaka–Chattogram rail corridor with the under-construction Dohazari–Cox’s Bazar railway corridor, and ensure uninterrupted rail services between the capital and the country’s prime tourist destination.
The initiative also includes increasing train speeds, procuring spare parts to replace ageing locomotives, acquiring 30 new locomotives, and operating additional train services based on demand.
According to ADB, the Dhaka–Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar corridor—part of the Trans-Asian Railway Network—currently accounts for 32 percent of total passenger traffic and 55 percent of total freight movement on Bangladesh’s railway network.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
Cox’s Bazar Life Photo
