Dhaka correspondent: The Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (saturday) inaugurated the much awaited 102km Chattogram’s Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar Rail Line at a cost of Taka 18034.47 crore opening a new era in railway connectivity in the country.
“Today, the Cox’s Bazar is linked with the railway connectivity. This is the day of feeling proud,” she said while opening the rail line along with the iconic Cox’s Bazar Railway Station unveiling a plaque at the newly constructed rail station here.
The prime minister said she was really very much pleased as she in person could present at the inaugural ceremony of Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar Rail Line.
“I have kept my promise with inaugurating the railway. This was a longstanding demand of this region. The demand was met today,” she added. The new rail track ushers new hope in strong footing of country’s economy with boosting tourism, industrialisation, business and trade as well.
After opening the train line, the premier took a ride on a train from Cox’s Bazar to Ramu.
An intercity train on Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route will start operation on December 1 as the Bangladesh Railway has already fixed its schedule and fare. The name of the train has not been fixed yet.
The train will take approximately 8 hours and 10 minutes to reach Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka with stopping at two stations — Dhaka airport and Chattogram.
Sheikh Hasina, also Awami League (AL) president, will join a public meeting at Matarbari Thermal Power Plant Project’s township ground. Alongside constructing the rail station in Cox’s Bazar town, seven more stations from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar have been built while an overpass was also constructed to facilitate the movement of elephants and other wild animals as the rail line crosses a reserved forest area.
The spectacular iconic Cox’s Bazar Railway Station has been constructed on 29 acres of land in the Hajipara area of Jhelongja Union, seven kilometers east-north of Cox’s Bazar Sadar.
Apart from these, a railway residential area has been built next to it. The station has also residential hotels, canteen, lockers and car parking. As many as 46,000 people can travel through this station a day and tourists can spend time at the beach by keeping their luggage in the station lockers. The premier earlier on April 3, 2011, laid the foundation stone for the construction of the railway between Dohazari-Ramu-Cox’s Bazar and Ramu-Ghumdhum of Myanmar.
