Chinese-Bangladeshi joint ventures awarded Madhukhali-Magura rail line project
The project includes building a 19.90 km rail line from Faridpur’s Madhukhali to Magura town via Kamarkhali
The Bangladesh Railway awarded a Tk1202.49 crore Fardipur-Magura railway project to two Chinese-Bangladeshi joint ventures (JV) on Sunday.
Railway authorities signed two contracts on the day- one with Chinese joint venture (JV) company China Railway Group Ltd (CREC) and Castle Construction Company Ltd (CCC) of Bangladesh, and another with China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) and Mir Akhter Hossain Ltd (MAHL) of Bangladesh.
According to a press statement by the Ministry of Railways, the project includes building a 19.90 km rail line from Faridpur's Madhukhali to Magura town via Kamarkhali, a 4.9 km loop line at Kamarkhali and Magura station yard, two new stations at Kamarkhali and Magura, and 28 minor bridges and culverts.
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Md Asadul Haque, project director, Bangladesh Railway, signed two separate contracts with Liu Xue Bing of CREC-CCL JV, and Tang Xiaojin of CRCC-MAHL JV.
This project will connect Magura district with the existing railway network, establish a sub-regional railway communication system, said the railway ministry.
Also, this will strengthen a rail link between the capital and the southwestern part of the country, across the [under-construction] Padma Bridge, it added.
Speaking at the signing ceremony at Rail Bhaban, Railway Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan said balanced development is not possible without an integrated communication system in a country.
"At one time, the railways were neglected. But Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina prioritised railways and made a separate ministry for it in 2011. The government has taken various steps to make the railways modern and up-to-date," he added.
The railway minister said many other railway projects are underway, including a rail link at Mongla Port, the Padma Bridge Rail Link project, the Bangabandhu Railway Bridge over the Jamuna River, and a new railway line from Chattogram to Cox's Bazar.
Member of the Standing Committee on the Ministry of Railways, including Md Saifuzzaman Shikhar, MP, for Magura-1, Kazi Nabil Ahmed, MP, for Jessore-3, Md Selim Reza, secretary to the Ministry of Railways, and Dhirendra Nath Majumder, Director General of Bangladesh Railways, attended the signing ceremony among others.
