The views expressed in this presentation are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views or policies of the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), the Asian
Development Bank (ADB), its Board of Directors, or the governments they represent. ADBI does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper and accepts no
responsibility for any consequences of their use. Terminology used may not necessarily be consistent with ADB official terms.

Project Financing and Sustainable

Development of Railway Infrastructure
Bangkok, 10-11 August 2016

Country Presentation

BANGLADESH
Presented by

Md. Quamrul Ahsan

Chief Engineer
Bangladesh Railway
Railbhaban, Dhaka
Project Financing and Sustainable Development of Railway Infrastructure

Grand Mercure, Bangkok

10-11 Aug 2016

Outlines of Presentation
Brief Country Profile
Bangladesh Transportation System
A Brief on Bangladesh Railway and Railway Project

Financing
2

Bangladesh: Key Facts

Name: Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
Form of Government: Parliamentary Democracy

Head of State: President

Head of Government: Prime Minister

Logo

Parliament System: Unicameral

State Structure: Unitary
Capital: Dhaka
3

National Flag

Emblem

Geography

Location: In South Asia; between 20 34' and 26 38' north

latitude and between 88 01' and 92 41' east longitude
4

History
4th Century B.C.: Recorded history traceable with clear evidence of

flourishing civilization consisting of cities, palaces, temples, forts, seats

of learning and monasteries
Stone age tools found in the Greater Bengal region indicate human
habitation for over 20,000 years.
12th Century A.D.: advent of the Muslims, enjoying periods of

prosperity under Muslim rule

17th Century A.D.: A time of economic well being

Somapura Mahavihara,
a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Pala Empire)

1757: Beginning of British Colonial Rule

1947: Departure of the British from Indian subcontinent, Bangladesh

became part of Pakistan as East Pakistan

1952: Language Movement (21 Feb International Mother Language

Day)
16 December 1971: Emergence of Bangladesh.

Language Movement in 1952

Bangladesh: Facts & Figures

Area: 147,570 km2 (92nd)
Population: 168.96 (8th, 2015)
Density: 1,033.5/km2 (12th)
Religion: 86.6% Islam, 12.1% Hinduism,

0.4% Christianity, 0.3% Others

Ethnic groups: 98% Bengali, 2% other (2014)
Growth Rate: 1.2% (2014)
Urban Population: 28.4% (2014)
Life Expectancy: 72.63 (2014)
Infant Mortality: 31 per 1,000 live births in 2015 (37 in 2011)
Official Language: Bengali (Bangla)
6

0.6% Buddhism

Bangladesh: Facts & Figures

GDP (PPP): US$572 billion (33th; 2015)
Per capita: $3,581(144th)
Agriculture19%; Industry 30%; Services 51%

GDP Growth Rate: 6.5% (2015)

Literacy: 61.5 % (2014)
Enrollment Rate in Primary School: 97.7% against 61% in 1990

Access to Electricity: 74% (2015)

Labor force: 87.9 million (2013)
Population below poverty line: 22% (2015)
7

BANGLADESH TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM

Transport Network in Bangladesh

Category
1.

Length in Km

Roads

151,364
Highways : 21,571

Rural Roads : 129,793 (paved 65,102)

2.
3.

4.
5.
9

Railways
Inland Waterways

Navigable round the year : 3,900

Navigable during monsoon : 6,000
Number of Ports
Number of Airports

2,877
24,000

2
9

Growth of Passenger Traffic

10

Growth of Freight Traffic

11

Modal Shares of Annual Transport

Investment

12

Bangladesh Railway
and
Railway Project Financing

Bangladesh Railway: Organogram

14

BR: Milestone Events

1862: Started its journey as Eastern Bengal Railway
with 53.11 km Jagoti-Darsana BG Rail link

1961: Renamed as Pakistan Eastern Railway

1972: Started providing services as Bangladesh
Railway

1998: East-West Railway connectivity over river

Jamuna was established from the day of opening
Bangabandhu Bridge (Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge)

2003: Direct BG train communication between East

and West zones was established over Bangabandhu
Bridge

2007: Bangladesh signed TAR agreement

2008: Direct passenger train Maitree Express
between Dhaka and Kolkata established

2011:Separate

dedicated
Railways, was formed

ministry,

Ministry

of

BR: Facts & Figures

Route km: 2,877.10
BG: 659.33 km
MG: 1,808.05 km
DG: 409.72 km
No. of stations: 458

Passenger carried: 67.34 million

Pass-km: 8,711.31 million
Tonnes carried: 2.55 million

Ton-km: 694 million

Daily pass. trains: 341 nos.
Daily freight trains: 37 nos.
Operating ratio: 170.5
Rev. per pass-km: BDT 77.6
Rev. per ton-km: BDT 2.38
No. of employees: 25,646
16
Source: BR Information Book, 2014

Covers 44 out of 64 adm. districts of the country

BR: Issues & Opportunities

Opportunities
Geographical location
Large population

Huge demand
Connectivity to TAR network
Connectivity to Sea Ports
Issues
BR is a truncated portion of the British Indian Railway system
Less priority and minimal investment over decades
Gauge differences between East and West

Missing links and overall deteriorated rail networks

Poor multi-modal transport and logistics facilities
Management and reform issues

17

Recent Developments of Bangladesh Railway

GoB has put utmost priority to improve railway infrastructure.
Since 2009, 52 projects have been approved at a total cost of USD 3563m.
Allocation in Annual Development Program is increasing progressively.

18

Financing in BR Infrastructure Development

(In million USD)

19

Recent Developments of Bangladesh Railway

217.87 km new tracks, 58 new station bldgs, 145 new bridges

20

constructed;
925 km existing tracks, 145 station bldgs, 538 bridges
rehabilitated;
214.06 km meter gauge tracks converted into dual gauge;
New 46 (20 MG & 26 BG) Locomotives, 20 sets MG DEMU, 516
wagons and 30 bogie brake vans, 2 relief cranes and 1 wheel lathe
machine procured;
Existing 260 passenger coaches, 277 wagons rehabilitate;
Signalling system of 56 stations have been modernized;
96 numbers new trains introduced.

Financing of Bangladesh Railway Projects

41 Investment Projects and 7 TA Projects of BR are included in
Annual Development Plan (2016-17)
GOB funded 16 nos.,

LOC funded 7 nos. and

JDCF funded 1 no.,

EDCF funded 1 no.

ADB funded 10 nos.,

WB funded 1 no

JICA funded 2 nos.,

China funded 1 no

DRGA-CF funded 2 nos.,

TA projects are ADB and WB

funded

21

Development Plan of BR during Seventh Five

Year Plan (FY2015-16 to 2019-20)
Undertake construction of 856 kilometer of new rail track

undertake dual gauge double tracking of 1110 kilometer

Undertake rehabilitation of 725 km of existing rail track
Undertake construction of rail bridges, improvement of level crossing gates

22

and improvement of other infrastructure

Purchase 100 new locomotives, 1 locomotive simulator and 4 relief cranes
Purchase 1120 passenger coaches and rehabilitate 624 coaches
Procure modern maintenance equipment
Upgrade rail signal for 81 stations
Strengthen railway management and
Eliminate operational deficit through price increases and operational efficiency
gains

Railway Infrastructure and Operation :

Issues and Challenges
Orientation problem and lack of connectivity
Historical lack of investment
Lack of Line capacity

Lack of bridge capacity

Lack of unification of Gauge
Lack of adequate number of Rolling Stock
Lack of modern workshops and plants
Institutional issues

Lack of adequate Manpower

23

A Paradigm Shift in Integrated Multimodal

Transport policy
There is a growing consensus that
Continued road building to deal with increasing demand for transport is
neither environmentally nor financially sustainable.
Railways pose less carbon emission and less land consumed mode of
mass transport.
A properly integrated transport plan should utilize the best features of
road and rail, and ensure that the two modes can largely complement
one another. Rail is more suited to long haul, bulk traffic, while roads
strength lays more in short haul, or feeder services.
Intermodal terminals should be planned which utilize rail for the long
haul tasks, with road providing the feeder services to and from these
intermodal terminals to introduce door to door service.
As a result the Governments draft Integrated Multi-modal Transport
Policy (IMTP) contains provisions for a paradigm shift away from
road construction towards investment in railways and inland
water transport.
24

Railway Master Plan

Much higher shares of the net increase in transport demand will

be carried by railways and inland water transport than present

scenario.
This requires a coherent plan, designed to utilise more fully the
strengths of the rail and road transport modes in a
complementary manner.
A Railway Master Plan has been developed to guide the overall
development of Bangladesh Railway (BR) in the foreseeable
future. The implementation of the plan, along with modern
management and operating practices will allow railway to play its
full role, not just in the transport system, but in fostering the
economic and social development of Bangladesh.
25

Railway Master Plan : Program costs and

Phasing
The implementation programme has been divided into four

periods of 5 years each beginning in 2010-11 and ending in

2029-30. Depending on policies imbued in Vision 2021, Sixth
Five Year Plan and other Governments higher level policies
proposed projects have been identified for the overall
development of Bangladesh Railway.
As there is scarcity of resources, all projects cannot be started

in the same year or even in one phase. Hence projects need to

be implemented phase-wise over the plan period.
A total of 235 number projects costing Tk 2,33,944 crore (USD

30 billion) have been proposed in the Master Plan that will be

implemented by Bangladesh Railway over the Plan period of 20
years spanning from Financial Year 2010-11 to Financial Year
2029-30.
26

Railway Master Plan: Program costs and Phasing

27

Phases

Phase Period

Cost
(in million USD)

Phase I

July 2010 to June 2015

16,410

Phase II

July 2015 to June 2020

3,610

Phase III

July 2020 to June 2025

5,640

Phase IV

July 2025 to June 2030

4,340

Total Investment Cost

July 2010 to June 2030

30,000

Implementation of Key Policies

Bangladesh Railway is taking all out efforts to achieve goals
stipulated in recent Key Policies relating to the railway sector :
7th Five Year Plan
Perspective plan of Bangladesh 2010-21: Making Vision

28

2021 a Reality
The Railway Master Plan
Integrated Multimodal Transport Policy
National Land Transport Policy
The National Sustainable Development Strategy

Responses from Development Partners

Asian Development Bank:
USD 4.8 billion for procurement of 10 locomotives, 214 MG & 50 BG
coaches, 4 relief cranes and 2 train washing plants and dual gauge
conversion of Dhaka-Chittagong-Dohazari and construction of
Dohazari-Cox's Bazar, Ramu-Gundum, Chakaria-Maheshkhali power
hub & Deep sea port, a new ICD at Dhirasram. Feasibility study,
detailed design and tendering services for construction works will be
started soon under ADB finance.
China G2G:
Around USD 3.5 billion for Padma Bridge Rail Link for which
commercial contract has been signed with approved Chinese company
"China Railway Group Ltd. (CREC)". Around USD 4 billion for DhakaChittagong express railway for which a non-binding MOU was signed
with the same company and feasibility study is going on.
29

Responses from Development Partners

JICA
Around USD 1 billion for construction of Jamuna Railway Bridge
parallel to existing Bangabandhu Bridge. Detailed design will be started
soon under JICA finance.
Indian LOC
Around USD 490 million for construction of Khulna-Darsana double
line, a new carriage workshop at Saidpur and conversion of MG
Parbatipur-Kaunia section.s
EDCF
Around USD 273 million for construction of Karnaphuli rail-cum-road
bridge, procurement of 150 MG carriage & 20 MG locomotives and
modernization of 20 station's signalling system in Ishurdi-Parbatipur
section.
30

Future Priority Projects of Bangladesh Railway

Sl. No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

31

17
18

Project Title

Estimated Cost

Construction of a new Rail Inland Container Depot at

Dhirasram
Construction of Dhaka-Chittagong Express Railway

USD 350 million

Strengthening/Re-construction of Hardinge Bridge to allow

Trans Asian Railway Traffic
Dual Gauge Double Tracking of Joydebpur-Ishurdi
Section
Construction of Bogra-Sirajganj new Dual Gauge Rail
Liine
Conversion of Dhaka-Chittagong-Dohazari MG Double Line
Corridor into DG
Construction of Rail Link with Matarbari and Maheshkhali
Power Plants and Deep Sea Port

USD 250 million

Construction of Rail Link Bhanga-Barisal-Payra Deep Sea

Port via Barisal
Establishment of a New Carriage & Wagon Maintenance
Workshop in South-West part of the Country.
Capacity Enhancement of Railway Training Academy
(RTA)
Construction of Double track from Abdulpur-Parbatipur
Construction of Double track from Khulna-Darsana
Procurement of 30 set BG AC DEMU
Establishment of a New Maintenance Workshop for
DEMU
Procurement of Rolling Stock
Establishment of new Mechanized Track Maintenance
Shop in East and West Zone of BR
Construction of Double Track from Joydevpur-Mymensigh
Establish new BG & DG PSC Sleeper Manufacturing
Plant

USD 2.50 Billion

USD 4.00 Billion

USD 1060 million

750 Million
USD 2.00 Billion
USD 350 Million

USD 450 million

USD 150 million
USD
USD
USD
USD

850 Million
1.00 Billion
250 Million
350 Million

USD 600 Million

USD 500 Million
USD 750 Million
USD 500 Million

The Way Forward

Bangladesh Railway (BR) is going through a reform process to

restructure BR into more commercially-oriented organization

in combination with substantial investment in infrastructure,
rolling stocks, signalling systems, maintenance and technical
modernization.
While some progress has been made in recent years, there is
still a long way to go.
We welcome Development Partners to engage with the
ongoing opportunity and support Bangladesh Railway to
achieve its goal towards Sustainable Development.
32

For More Information

Contact
Bangladesh Railway
Railbhaban
Dhaka, Bangladesh
E-mail: qahsanbd@hotmail.com

Thank you