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Easier rail communication with the northern part of the country is expected to take some more time as opening of a dedicated railway bridge over the Jamuna river will not be possible before December, sources said.
"We expect to open the railway bridge after completing all related works on both sides of the bridge by December end or early January," Project Director Al Farrah Mohammad Masudur Rahman said.
Earlier the authorities announced to open the 4.8km double-line dual-gauge railway track in June this year.
Sources said, six more months' time would be required to complete one part of the bridge.
Officials said though overall progress in work on the Bangabandhu Jamuna railway bridge was quite impressive, the work on western part remained slightly behind the schedule.
They said due to good progress, project's financing problem was also over.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which is funding 72.40 per cent of the Tk 167.80 billion project, is set to release the third and last tranche in the next Official Development Assistance in June.
According to the progress report, 76.5 per cent work on the 4.8 kilometre railway bridge was completed.
Of the total 49 spans, 29 with a total length of 2.85 km have been completed.
Project Director Masudur Rahman said all hurdles to project implementation had been over as all materials including spans arrived in the country.
According to data, JICA has so far released 1.65 per cent of the project's committed fund.
Sources said under the project, remodelling work on the Bangabandhu Bridge Eastern Station along with replacement of tracks in various parts had already been started.
Train communication with the northern part of the country now continues through diversion.
However, data show that work on all 27 piers of the WD 1 was completed but the work on nine piers, out of the first 23 under WD 2, is yet to be completed.
The Bangladesh Railway undertook the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Railway Bridge project. ECNEC's first approval was given on December 12, 2016 and second approval on the revision on March 3, 2020 with the target to complete it by December 2025.
Its cost went up by 72 per cent from Tk 97.34 billion.
The officials said work on viaduct on the eastern side had already been completed but the work on the western side was slightly behind the schedule.