Special Correspondent: The century-old, traditional old Kalurghat bridge over the Karnaphuli river, after major renovations, was successfully tested by running a rail locomotive over it on Saturday. After the concerted efforts of the engineers and the employees of the engineering department of the eastern division of Bangladesh Railway, with the support of the expert team of BUET, a trial run was given with the engine of a 90-ton series through the Centenary Kalurghat Bridge from morning to afternoon. Railway officials and expert team officials say that the train will go to Cox’s Bazar on an experimental basis this Sunday morning. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route on November 11.
According to the relevant sources, it takes 7 hours to go from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar and 2 and a half hours from Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar. However, it is still a dream that a train will go to the seaside city or tourist city of Cox’s Bazar on the routes Dhaka-Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar and Cox’s Bazar-Chittagong-Dhaka. But that dream is going to be realized soon. However, the newly constructed railway line from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar was severely damaged due to heavy rains a few months ago. In many places, the ground has shifted along the railway line. The railway line was bent. But due to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s strong morale and courage, the railway authorities have been able to fix them as per the advice of BUET experts and bring them to a condition suitable for train movement.
The train will cross several rivers on the way from Dhaka. Then Karnaphuli, Sankh, Matamuhuri, and several other canals will pass from Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar. One of the sanctuaries of the country, Choonati Sanctuary, must be passed. Elephant tracks have been kept for the movement of elephants so that there is no disruption to the movement of elephants when the train passes through the Chunti Sanctuary. And the train will pass under that path.
The railway authorities hope that the normal life and movement of elephants will not be disturbed due to the movement of this train. But environmentalists were demanding whether the Chunti sanctuary could be bypassed somehow. But it was no longer possible due to geographical reasons. Corridors have been created for elephants.
Experimental train movement started on Saturday on the railway route from Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar at a cost of about 18 thousand 34 crore 47 lakh taka; this is said to be after the engine was given a trial run over the Kalurghat bridge. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will officially inaugurate the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar-Dhaka route along with the very beautiful oyster-shaped railway station built at Cox’s Bazar on November 11, if everything goes well.
However, due to some remaining work, passenger trains will start running on this route on December 1 this year. Several trains will go to Cox’s Bazar directly from Dhaka and Chittagong. Each tourist train will have 800 to 1200 passengers. In total, about 2 crore passengers will come and go on this railway every year.
Chief Engineer of the Bangladesh Railway Eastern Zone Abu Zafar Mia said working on the bridge over the river was a challenge, but with everyone’s cooperation, we were able to do it properly. A successful trial run has been done with three engines, and it is expected that the train will go to Cox’s Bazar via the Kalurghat bridge from Chittagong railway station on Sunday morning.
Last Thursday, the 2200 and 3000 series engines were supposed to be run experimentally through the Kalurghat bridge in the presence of BUET’s expert team. It was not possible due to some errors. BUET’s expert team head professor, Dr. Saiful Amin, said the BUET team is working on train movement. It was successful.
The concerned authorities said that once the train service starts, it will take only 7 to 7 and a half hours from Dhaka to reach the sea city or the tourist city of Cox’s Bazar. And it will take only two and a half hours to go from Chittagong. The price of the ticket from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar will be Tk 1500.
