Bangladesh's rail transit has ushered in a historic upgrade opportunity, and the first railway electrification project in the area has completed preliminary consulting work. With the support of relevant EU initiatives and multilateral financial support, this core commuter railway is about to undergo modernization, helping local transportation reduce carbon emissions and increase efficiency.

Preparation for project implementation

Recently, the Narayanganjeda Kachoyidebur Railway Electrification Project has successfully completed all stakeholder consultation work. As the first railway electrification project in Bangladesh, this project is promoted through the EU Global Gateway Initiative and has received joint support from the EU, European Investment Bank, and Asian Development Bank. Multiple institutions and industry experts participate in project discussions and planning. The project will renovate 50 kilometers of existing railway lines, build overhead contact networks and control centers, and purchase 16 sets of 5-car electric multiple units. The project proposal has now entered the approval process. Keywords: Railway Electrification, Mengguo Transportation Upgrade

Upgrade benefits highlighted

The total investment of the project is 38.2251 billion taka, equivalent to 314 million US dollars, including 9.4209 billion taka of government funds and 28.8042 billion taka of loan funds. Several foreign institutions have preliminarily finalized financing plans. The project is scheduled to start in July 2026 and be completed in June 2031. After the renovation is completed, the daily passenger capacity of the line will increase from 232000 to 845000, the daily service frequency of trains will increase from 65 to 235, and the peak departure interval will be shortened to 15 minutes. The project can reduce 5000 tons of carbon emissions annually, significantly lowering operating costs and effectively alleviating traffic congestion in the Dhaka metropolitan area. As early as July 2023, Mengguo had initiated research on the electrification of related lines, and ultimately determined that the line was a phase one renovation section, laying a solid foundation for the implementation of this project.Editor/Min Jing