Tk335cr ghost rail line to Rooppur that goes nowhere

Infograph: TBS

A multi-crore rail line, initiated by the ousted Sheikh Hasina government for Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant, has remained unused since its completion in 2022, yet another glaring example of wasteful spending and financial irregularities that defined the previous administration's tenure. 

The 26.52km-long line costing Tk335 crore of public funds was intended for transportation of cargo from the Ishwardi Bypass Station to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna.

Although there was no rail line included in the master transportation plan developed by the Russian consultants for the plant, the Ministry of Science and Technology initiated the project in 2018, with Bangladesh Railway handling its implementation.

Yeafesh Osman was the minister of science and technology at the time, while Md Mazibul Hoque served as the rail minister under the Hasina-led government. An Indo-Bangla joint venture company was awarded the contract to construct the dual-gauge railway line.

The construction was completed in June 2022 but it has remained unused since then. Also, the Directorate of Inspection and Audit identified financial anomalies amounting to Tk321.66 crore in the construction, according to an audit report prepared in 2020.

Line ends 2km from plant 

The rail track, including a siding and loop line from the Ishwardi Bypass Station, ends nearly 2km away from the Rooppur plant. A narrow dirt road unsuitable for carrying heavy equipment, passes under the Hardinge Bridge connecting the points between the rail track and the power plant.

Moreover, there is no passenger traffic required to operate trains on this route, according to a senior executive from the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The rail track was built with seven culverts, 13 level crossing gates, one "B" class station, and one station platform.

"The rail line was constructed for uranium transportation to the power plant," Md Fahimul Islam, secretary at the Ministry of Railways, told The Business Standard.

When asked about its current use, he expressed uncertainty, and added, "The Science and Technology Ministry would have more details."

Md Zahedul Hassan, project director of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Construction Project, said the rail line has never been used.

When asked why the rail line was constructed, he explained that there was no rail line included in the master transportation plan for the power plant, and thus, he had no idea why it was built.

He mentioned that an international port has been established on the bank of the Padma River to facilitate the construction and future operation of the Rooppur power plant in Pabna's Ishwardi upazila, as outlined in the master transportation plan.

"Heavy equipment is being transported through this port, while lighter items are being carried by air," he added.

The port became fully operational in August 2020, and cargo carrying construction materials and equipment is being transported from St Petersburg and Novorossiysk in Russia to the Padma port freight terminal via the Mongla seaport.

It took one and a half years to construct the 150 by 350-metre port, which is capable of maintaining a river depth of up to 10 metres year-round.

Launching the rail line 

Despite the absence of a rail transportation plan, then railways minister Md Mazibul Hoque signed an agreement with the Indo-Bangla joint venture company - Standard Engineers, Castle Construction of Bangladesh, and GTP Infraprojects of India - in July 2018.

Mofazzel Hossain, then secretary of the ministry, presided over the signing ceremony, with Kazi Nabil Ahmed, director of Castle Construction, and Amzad Hossain, then director general of Bangladesh Railway, in attendance.

During the event, Mazibul Hoque said the project would be implemented on a priority basis, following the order of Sheikh Hasina and under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister's Office.

Mazibul said, "For the construction of the Rooppur nuclear power plant, we will need to transport heavy machinery and equipment via freight train. Hence, the construction of a new railway link is crucial."

He added, "This will create a network connecting the Rooppur power plant to Chattogram and Mongla seaports, which will facilitate freight transportation."

The rail project was inaugurated by Sheikh Hasina on 9 February 2023.

Perplexing evaluation report

Although the rail line was not in use, an evaluation report prepared by the planning ministry said, "The constructed rail line has been contributing to the transportation of equipment to the power plant. The rail line will contribute to the safe transportation of equipment and will increase government revenue."

The report was prepared by Saiful Islam, director-2 at the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division under the planning ministry, after a field visit in July 2024.

In his report, he mentioned the beneficiaries' opinion: "The Rooppur rail created the opportunity for easy and safe transportation of heavy equipment to the power plant."

He also included the beneficiaries' view that "the upgraded signaling system has made train operations risk-free, and passengers have expressed satisfaction with the improved platform, making it easier to board and disembark."

However, in reality, no trains were being operated.

When asked, Saiful Islam said he made the recommendation based on a document regarding equipment transportation provided by the project director.

He also mentioned that a passenger transportation option was included in the rail line project, but it is not yet operational.

However, his comment contradicts his own evaluation report.

In the report, he also stated that the project's objective was fully achieved, as faster equipment transportation operations began, and the rail line contributed to transporting equipment to the power plant by connecting the Ishwardi junction to the power plant.

Additionally, in his report, he claimed that all anomalies amounting to Tk321.66 crore, raised by the Audit Directorate, had been resolved.

Anomalies found by audit

The evaluation report identified eight financial anomalies in the construction of the rail line.

The project was overestimated, with costs projected higher than the approved figures in the Development Project Proposal, resulting in a loss of Tk45.32 crore for the government.

An additional Tk80.76 crore was spent on purchasing 3,480 tonnes of rail and 24,827 sleepers, far exceeding the actual requirements.

Over Tk11.31 crore was wasted on overweight rail, despite it not being used in the regular line. The contractor was paid an advance of Tk29.75 crore, bypassing Cabinet Division decisions.

The government also incurred losses: Tk82.50 lakh due to unaccounted concrete shrinkage, Tk42.40 lakh from excess payments for road divider work, Tk3 crore for stone ballast supply without the required test report, and Tk150.25 crore was paid without proper documentation of completed work in the measurement book, according to the audit report.