POSITION PAPER ON BANGLADESH RAILWAY

Transcription

1 POSITION PAPER ON BANGLADESH RAILWAY Ahmed Murshed Joint Secretary Ministry of Railways Md. Monirul Islam Firozi Director (Engineering) Bangladesh Railway

2 Presentation Sequence Brief of Bangladesh Railway Operational Information Vision, Historic Land Mark, Major Regional Connectivity Related to Bangladesh TAR, SAARC, SASEC, BIMSTEC, BCIM, SILK ROUTE Opportunities of Bangladesh to be Transport Hub Major Initiatives for Regional Connectivity Impediments and Initiatives Progress, Issued to be Addressed for Connectivity 2

3 Brief about Bangladesh Railway 1947: India and Pakistan separated 1961: Renamed as Pakistan Eastern Railway. 1862: Started its journey as Eastern Bengal Railway with km Jagoti- Darsana BG Rail link. 1972: Started providing services as Bangladesh Railway. 1998: East-West Railway connectivity over river Jamuna was established from the day of opening Bangabandhu Bridge. 2003: Direct BG train communication between East and West zone was established over Bangabandhu Bridge. 2007: Bangladesh signed TAR agreement. 2008: Direct passenger train Maitree Express between Dhaka and Kolkata established. 2011: Ministry of Railways formed under SRO-361. Covers and connects 44 Districts of the country out of 64 Districts : 71 mi Passengers and 2.55 mi tonnes freight carried by BR.

4 Operational Information of Bangladesh Railway Two Zones: East and West Zone East Zone: km MG: km BG: 0.00 km DG: km West Zone: km MG: km BD: km DG: km Operational Division: 4 divisions Dhaka Chittagong Paksey Lalmonirhat Total Route Kilometer: km MG: km BG: km DG: km Existing Railway Network

5 Historic Land Mark On 23 June 1998: The first revolutionary development in BR was to connect east and west zone by rail link through Bangabandhu Bridge. Padma Bridge Project On 14 August 2003: Direct BG train communication between East zone (Joydevpur) and West Zone (Rajshahi) was started. On 14 April 2009: BG Trains come Dhaka directly after Dhaka- Joydevpur section was converted into dual gauge. 5

6 Vision To expand and improve the railway system to provide safer, better, a more environment friendly and cost effective transport facility to the national and international traffic. Foster international rail links to serve regional/sub-regional connectivity and Trans Asian Railway.(perspective plan) To play an important and dominant role in an integrated transport system by emphasis its strength.(master Plan) Strategy to Achieve the Vision Gauge conversion and maintenance enhancement-regional Integration Unlocking line capacity-signal and Telecom New Rail line construction Rolling stock procurement and maintenance enhancement Establishment of RDS Unit To increase market share 6

7 Corridors in Bangladesh Railway 7

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9 Vision Establishment of Regional connectivity To establish Trans-Asian Railway network and SAARC, BIMSET, SASEC etc. regional railway corridors through Bangladesh. To achieve seamless movement of freight and passengers across borders. To establish transport hub in Bangladesh. Objectives To establish a Preferential Trade Area with South Asian Countries by Improving railway Connectivity, Interoperability, Interchangeability etc. To fast track regionalisation within South Asian countries reduce Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs). To harmonise Legal, Commercial and Technical Standards. to 9

10 Regional Connectivity Relating to Bangladesh Railway TAR Network SAARC Route SASEC Corridors BIMSTEC BCIM Route Silk Route 10

11 Regional Transport Connectivity in South Asia ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations BIMP-EAGA Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area CAREC Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation GMS Greater Mekong Subregion IMT-GT Indonesia Malaysia Thailand Growth Triangle PIF Pacific Islands Forum SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Note: Map not to scale

12 There are 8 (Eight) interchange points between India and Bangladesh, namely 1. Darshana (BR)-Gede(IR) are in operation 2. Benepole(BR)-Petrapole(IR) are in operation 3. Rahonpur(BR)-Singabad (IR) are in operation 4. Birol(BR)-Radhikapur (IR) are in operation from 08 April Shahbazpur(BR)-Mohishashan (IR) are closed since Chilahati(BR)-Holdibari(IR) are closed since Burimari(BR)-Chenrabandha (IR) are closed since Moghalhat (BR)- Gitaldah (IR) are closed since 1976 Akhaura(BR)-Agartala(IR)- new Railway link. Feni-Belonia 12

13 REGIONAL RAILWAY CONNECTIVITY IN BANGLADESH Radhikapur Singhabad Existing Regional Connectivity At present Closed Connectivity Proposed new connectivity Agartala Existing Connectivity with India: Benapole Petrapole Darsana Gede Rohanpur Singhabad Birol Radhikapur (since , Reopen,2017) Closed Connectivity (work is going on to restore the connectivity) : Shahbazpur Mohishasan (since ) Proposed new Connectivity: Chilahati Holdibari Burimari Chengrabandha Akhaura - Agartala Dohazari Cox s Bazar - Gundum Connectivity with Nepal & India: Rohanpur Singhabad (by addendum to MOU). Birol Radhikapur (By conversion MG into DG). Connectivity with Bhutan & India: Chilahati Holdibari (by constructing 7 km missing link in Bangladesh side and signing a new MOU). Burimari Chengrabandha (transshipment facilities at Burimari and signing a new MOU).

14 Trans-Asian Railway network Bangladesh TAR-3 Radhikapur (India) TAR-2 TAR ROUTE 1 : Singabad Gede (West Bengal, India) (India) Darsana Ishurdi Jamtoil Joydebpur Tongi Akhaura Chittagong Dohazari Gundum (Mynmar border station). Sub-route I : Tongi Dhaka. Sub-route II : Akhaura Kulaura Shahbazpur Mahisasan (India) Birol TAR ROUTE 2 : Singabad (West Bengal, India) TAR-1 Rohanpur Rajshahi Abdulpur Gede Ishurdi and thereafter following the rest (India) of the route/sub-routes of Route I. TAR ROUTE 3 : Radhikapur (West Bengal, India) Birol Dinajpur Parbatipur Abdulpur Ishurdi and thereafter following the rest of the route/sub-routes of Route I. Rohanpur Ishurdi Dinazpur Parbatipur Abdulpur Darsana Dhaka Jessore TAR-4 Benapole KHULNA Tongi Bhanga Shahbazpur Akhaura Ramu Kulaura Chittagong Dohazari Gundum Mohishasan (India) Myanmar

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16 SAARC Railway corridors in Bangladesh Following SAARC railway corridors passes through Bangladesh (as per SAARC Regional Railways Agreement): 2. Pakistan-India-Bangladesh-India i. Lahore(Pakistan) - Wagah (Pakistan) - Atari (India) - Delhi(India)- Kolkata(India)- Gede/Petrapol (India) - Darshana / Benapol (Bangladesh) - Dhaka(Bangladesh)- Shahbazpur (Bangladesh) - Maishashan (India) Imphal (India) ii. Lahore(Pakistan) - Wagha (Pakistan) - Atari (India)-Delhi(India)- Kolkata(India)-Gede/Petrapol (India) - Darshana / Benapol (Bangladesh) Dhaka(Bangladesh)-Akhaura/ Gangasagar (Bangladesh) - Agartala (India) 3. India-Bangladesh Imphal(India) - Agartala (India) Akhaura/Gangasagar (Bangladesh) Chittagong Port (Bangladesh) 5. Nepal-India-Bangladesh i. Birgunj (Nepal) Raxaul (India) - Singhabad (India) - Rohanpur (Bangladesh) - Mongla Port/ Chittagong Port (Bangladesh) ii. Biratnagar (Nepal) - Jogbani (India) - Radhikapur (India) - Birol (Bangladesh) -Khulna (Bangladesh) - Mongla Port (Bangladesh). iii. Bardibas(Nepal) Inarwa (Nepal) - Jaynagar (India) - Radhikapur (India) - Birol (Bangladesh) - Khulna(Bangladesh) - Mongla Port (Bangladesh). 7. Bangladesh-Bhutan Mongla Port/Chittagong Port (Bangladesh) - Chilahati (Bangladesh) - Haldibari (India) Hasimara (India) - Bhutan. 16

17 SAARC RAILWAY CORRIDORS 17

18 Railway corridors in Bangladesh The South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Program, set up in 2001, brings together Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka in a project-based partnership to promote regional prosperity by improving crossborder connectivity, boosting trade among member countries, and strengthening regional economic cooperation. The shared vision of SASEC is to increase trade and cooperation within South Asia, create linkages to East and Southeast Asia, ensure fast and least-cost cross-border movement of goods, people, and business, and improve opportunity and the quality of life for the people of the SASEC sub-region. Till date 66 projects taken in hand out of which only 6 projects are in railway sector of Bangladesh. 18

19 SASEC CORRIDOR MAP 19

20 BIMSTEC The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organization involving a group of 7(seven) countries in South Asia and South East Asia. These are: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. BIMSTEC Transport Infrastructure and Logistics Study (BTILS) was taken in hand in 2006 under financing of ADB and the study was completed in The railway corridors 1 and 3 through Bangladesh identified by BTILS are same as SAARC rail corridor 2 and 5: BTILS Route-1: Lahore (Pakistan)- Delhi/Kolkata(India)- Dhaka/ Kulaura (Bangladesh)-Mohishason-Imphal (India). BTILS Route-3: Birgunj (Nepal)-Kaatihar/Singhabad (India)-Rohanpur- Chittagong Port (Bangladesh), with links to Jogbani, Biratnagar (Nepal) and Agartala (India). 20

21 BCIM ECONOMIC CORRIDOR The Bangladesh China India Myanmar Forum for Regional Cooperation (BCIM) is a sub-regional organization of Asian nations aimed at greater integration of trade and investment between the four countries. Through linking the ASEAN Free Trade Area, ASEAN-China Free Trade Area and ASEAN India Free Trade Area, the corridor would constitute as one of the largest free trade areas. Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar hope to create a corridor that would effectively combine road, rail, water and air linkages in the region. This will also bolster foreign trade of the BCIM countries and empower bilateral trading 21

22 BCIM Economic Corridor 22

23 Silk Road The Silk Road or Silk Route is a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East and South and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world as well as parts of North and East Africa. The Silk Road includes three routes namely Northern Route, Southern Route and South-west Route. 23

24 Silk Route 24

25 Opportunities Some Potential of Bangladesh Priority Projects to become of Bangladesh a land Railway transport Hub and logistic centre in the region The unique geo-graphical position of Bangladesh. Khulna-Mongla rail link would provide the shortest railway corridor to connect Nepal, Bhutan and North-West India. Proposed Padma rail link and Dhaka-Comilla chord line would provide shortest railway corridor to connect Chittagong port to West Bengal of India. New Akhaura-Agartala rail link and re-opening of Shahbazpur-Mohishoshan would facilitate traffic from Chittagong port to North-East India. Actions taken for construction of missing links and enhancement of capacity. All ports in the Bay of Bengal are estuarine with shallow drafts of 9m or less where as proposed Matarbari & Sonadia Deep Sea Port will have 15 m & 14m draft respectively which will allow container vessels arrival at the port with 4000 TEUs or more. The deepest berth in proposed deep sea port at Sonadia/Matarbari would be the key to make Bangladesh a regional transport Hub which would be the nearest deep sea port to Nepal, Bhutan and parts of India. 25

26 Some Potential Major Priority Impediments Projects of Bangladesh Railway Railway Insufficient Budget since independence to 2010 Load Constraints on Bangabandhu Railway Bridge Gauge Unification Single Line Over-aged Obsoleted Signalling Scarcity of Rolling Stocks. ie. Locomotives, passenger coaches and wagons 26

27 Some Major Potential Initiatives Priority to Projects Establishment of Bangladesh of Railway Connectivity Rajshahi-Rohonpur border section entry of TAR-2 Saidpur-Chilahati section rehabilitation Parbatipur-Birol-Birol border DG line conversion completed Dhaka-Chittagong Corridor Up gradation Initiatives to construction of missing links of TAR, Dohazari-Cox s bazar Convert and Reopen MG Kulaura-Shahbajpur Section to DG Khulna-Mongla rail link construction Dedicated Railway Bridge on Jamuna River Padma Bridge Rail link Container Depot near Dhirasram Joydevpur-Ishwardi Double line Construction Akhaura-Agortala railway line Procurement of RS, locomotives, coaches and wagons 27

28 Progress from Bangladesh PHASE NO OF PROJECTS PROJECT VALUE MUSD REMARKS COMPLETED PROJECTS (Existing MP) ONGOING PROJECTS (Existing MP) Investment Project-29 TA projects-07 (24.81) Phase-I: Nos gauge Phase-II: conversion projects 39 Nos RS Related Phase-III: projects Phase-IV: Phase-V: Phase-VI:

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30 There should be an agreement among the signatories to eliminate the restrictions of movement of trains in the territory of member countries. Physical barrier to implement the Trans Asian Railway Network should be eliminated by implementing necessary projects. New bilateral or multilateral corridors should be explored for mutual benefit. Member countries and Development Partners should come forward to finance the necessary projects. 30

31 Thanks for Patience Hearing 31

32 Progress Made Trans-Asian Railway Connectivity: Bangladesh singed" Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans- Asian Railway Network on as 20th signatory and it was ratified on Connectivity with NE states of India: Bangladesh has Land boundary only with India and Myanmar. A Joint Communiqué was singed between India and Bangladesh on to emphasize regional connectivity. MoU signed on for construction of Akhaura-Agartala rail link under Indian grant and the project is going on. Upon completion of the connectivity, landlocked 7 states of North- Eastern part of India would be connected with railway network of BR. 32

33 Projects taken for Enhancing Regional Connectivity Construction of Double line between Tongi-Bhairab Bazar (ADB fund). Double tracking between Laksam and Chinki Astana (JICA Finance). 2 nd Bhairab and 2 nd Titas Bridges (Indian LOC fund). 3 rd & 4 th line in Dhaka-Tongi section and double line in Tongi-Joydevpur (Indian LOC fund). Conversion of Parbatipur-Birol & Kanchan-Panchagar MG section into Dual Gauge (GOB fund). Rehabilitation of Saidpur-Chilahati Section of BR (GOB fund). RCI TA Project (ADB fund). Rehabilitation of Rajshahi-Rohonpur Section (GOB fund) Dohazari to Cox s Bazar via Gundum and Ramu to Gundum near Myanmar (ADB fund). Rehabilitation of Kulaura-Shahbazpur section (Indian LOC fund). Akhura-Laksam-Chinki Astana DG Double Line (ADB & EIB financing). Khulna-Mongla Port rail link (Indian LOC fund). Jamuna Bridge Construction Project (JICA fund). Padma Bridge Rail Link Project (China govt.). Tongi-Dhaka 3 rd and 4 th Line (Indian LOC fund) 33

34 Up-coming Projects for Enhancing Regional Connectivity Construction of 2 nd Railway-cum-road Bridge over the river Karnafuli near Kalurghat Bridge (To be financed under EDCF fund) Construction of Dhirasram ICD with allied works (Likely to be financed by ADB) Conversion of Dhaka-Chittagong corridor into DG (financed by ADB) Fauzderhat-Chittagong Port and Chittagong-Dohazari DG Double Line (Likely to be financed by ADB) Railway Connection with Matarbari Maheshkhali Power hub and Deep Sea Port (Likely to be financed by ADB). Double tracking between Joydevpur to Ishurdi (Under proess). Procurement of rolling stocks. Dhaka city circular elevated rail line (Fesibility study going on) Parbatipur-Ishurdi-Khulna Double Line Upgradation of Jessore-Benapole section (Under process). Dhaka-Laksam via Comilla Highspeed elevated line (feasibility study going on) Construction of Bogra-Sirajganj DG rail line (Under process). 34