Investment in BR deserves better scrutiny

Almost a decade ago, Bangladesh Railway launched a 30-year master plan to expand rail coverage to all 64 districts of the country and modernise its services.  The master plan included a total of 230 projects scheduled to be implemented by 2045 in six phases at a cost of Taka 5.53 trillion. As one-third of the plan period is ending this year, it is imperative to assess the progress made so far.  The railway ministry, apparently, is not interested in making such an assessment. Rather, it is venturing into yet another expansion drive.  It has decided to implement 13 projects worth Tk 839.90 billion over next 15 years. A report published in this paper Tuesday last noted that funding support from development partners for execution of the projects has been largely confirmed.

It is not known whether these projects are among the master plan projects. But the FE report has indicated that most of these projects are in the master plan and those have now been prioritised for implementation, If so, it is a positive move on the part of the BR because it suggests continuity with the initiatives taken earlier for the greater good of the country's railway system. However, some projects now prioritised require extensive review before any implementation decisions, particularly those that could severely affect densely populated areas and neighbouring ecosystems.

There is no denying that railway is a secure, economical, and environment-friendly mode of transport and, as such, it needs expansion. An efficient railway can transfer, transit and mobilise millions of commuters without much trouble, which is not possible by road transports. Unfortunately, five and a half decades after its independence, Bangladesh is yet to optimise its railway services. At present, it covers only about 3,500 route kilometres across the country, whereas the road network is about 23,000 km long. As a result, 73 per cent of passengers and 82 per cent of cargoes are transported using road transports, although demand for railway remains high. By over-focusing on the road network, successive governments have pushed back the required extension of the rail network. Instead, a number of rail projects have been taken up to feed a section of rent-seekers having political backing. The addition of 20 Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) trains to the railway fleet in 2013, at a cost of Tk 6.86 billion, is an example. Though the claimed lifespan is 20 years, most of the trains have become inoperative, and the rest will be abandoned shortly. No question has been asked about the wastage of taxpayers' money. Unfortunately, there have been no coordinated efforts to establish a well-designed, well-integrated rail-road-river transportation system. More than 90 per cent of passenger train services have been incurring losses for decades, clearly showing their operational inefficiency. Again, a large part of the existing rail tracks is in a dilapidated condition, resulting in slower train speeds and occasional derailment. 

To move forward, the key priority should be to modernise and introduce dual rail tracks across the network. Concurrently, setting up more railway workshops is essential. The truth is, the BR is still far away from introducing a modern and efficient railway service though billions of taka has been spent on its improvement. The government policymakers, seemingly, are also not serious about ensuring a better railway service when a number of far and near countries are operating fast and ultra-modern trains.