20 broad-gauge coaches arriving from India in July

Bangladesh is set to import passenger train coaches from India for the first time since the fall of the ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. A shipment of 20 broad-gauge coaches is scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh this July, according to Indian media outlet The Economic Times.

The report states that officials from the export division of Indian Railways have confirmed that the 20 broad-gauge passenger coaches built for Bangladesh are already prepared. The handover process is set to begin next month.

The shipment is the first consignment of a larger project under a 915-crore rupee agreement signed with India to supply a total of 200 broad-gauge coaches for Bangladesh Railway.

Funded by the European Investment Bank (EIB), India's Rail Coach Factory secured the contract through an international tender in May 2024. The coaches are being manufactured at the Rail Coach Factory located in Kapurthala, Punjab, India.

A senior Indian Railways official told The Economic Times that the first rake under the contract will be ready by July. Necessary preparations are currently underway for handing over the coaches to Bangladesh.

The report further notes that following the political transition in Bangladesh in 2024, some uncertainty had loomed over the implementation of various bilateral projects. The progress of this project also slowed down temporarily after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. However, work is now progressing according to the schedule.

Previously, India supplied 120 broad-gauge coaches, 25 broad-gauge locomotives, and 10 meter-gauge locomotives to Bangladesh as part of cooperation to expand rail connectivity and improve transport infrastructure between the two neighbors.

Under the latest agreement, India will not only supply the coaches but will also provide design assistance, necessary spare parts, technical training, and support related to the operation and maintenance of the coaches to Bangladesh Railway.

According to analysts, the supply of these new coaches will play a crucial role in expanding Bangladesh Railway's passenger services and adding modern coaches to its fleet. It is also being seen as an indication of the continuation of Bangladesh-India railway cooperation.