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Despite several complexities, work of the Bogura-Sirajganj Railway Project is going to be started in the next year (2024) that is expected to open a new horizon of connectivity in the northern region.
The government through the Ministry of Railways moves to materialize the long-cherished dream of the northern people by constructing Bogura-Sirajganj new dual gauge railway at an estimated cost of Tk55,800 million.
"We are expecting to start the construction work at the beginning of 2024 after land acquisition is completed, and the work will end by 2026. However, the land acquisition work has progressed a lot," said Monirul Islam Firozi, project director (PD) of the railway project.
"If the new Bogura-Sirajganj railway is launched, people of the northern region, especially commuters of the two districts, will see a new horizon in the context of connectivity. It will open a new gateway to the economic landscape," he added.
Once the railway project is implemented, the distance between the capital Dhaka and Bogura will come down by about 112 kilometres and it will help save passengers' time by around 3 to 4 hours per trip. Not only that, it will save an approximate fuel cost of Tk43.3m annually," said the PD.
"It will largely expand the economy of the northern region as the business activities will get a new impetus," he added.
According to sources at the Bangladesh Railway, the plan for constructing the railway from Sirajganj to Bogura was undertaken in 2005 while a feasibility study was conducted with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
But the project did not progress at that time due to lack of funding.
In 2015, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina pledged to set up a railway from Bangabandhu Jamuna Bridge to Rangpur via Bogura.
Measure to implement the project was taken in 2017 with Tk31,460m loan money of the Indian third Line of Credit (LOC), while Bangladesh government will have to pay Tk 24,330 million. The length of the route from Bogura Railway Station to Shaheed M Monsur Ali Station in Sirajganj is 75kms.
The project got ECNEC nod in July of 2018 with the completion deadline of June 2023.
During the period, two consultant firms- namely Rights Limited and RV Associates Architects Engineering and Consultant Private Limited-- were appointed for the two segments of the project.
But no visible progress was seen for a long time due to land acquisition complexities in the two districts-Bogura and Sirajganj. About five years have already elapsed since approval of the project.
After multiple speculations, implementation of the railway project is going to be started next year raising a new ray of hope.
Bogura and Sirajganj district administration sources said a total of 960 acres of land will be acquired in the two districts for the new railway. Of them, 479.15 acres will be acquired in Bogura and 460 acres in Sirajganj district. But the money allocated against the acquired land has not yet been distributed to the land owners.
Nine railway stations will be constructed for the new railway. The railway stations include Shaheed M Monsur Ali Station, Raipur Station, Nalka Krisnadia Station, Raiganj Station, Chandaikona Station, Chhonka Station, Sherpur Station, Ariabazar Station and Ranirhat Station.
Md Masudur Rahman Milon, president of Bogura Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), told The Financial Express, "Biggest industrial units, tourism spots and business establishments are situated in Bogura amidst other districts of the northern region. That is why; this district bears a significant importance for the national economy. If the Bogura-Sirajganj railway project is implemented soon, a new horizon will be unveiled for the economy of northern Bangladesh."