DHAKA: Bangladesh is going to be a part in the Trans-Asian Railway link between Europe and Asia via Myanmar-Bangladesh-India-Iran and Turkey.
The link which internationally called ‘Trans-Asian railway’ will connect the country’s rail line with international rail network.
The network was initially divided into four major components, which were studied separately. They are: northern corridor, ASEAN and Indo-China corridor, southern corridor and north-south corridor.
Bangladesh will be linked with network under southern corridor that connecting Thailand and china with Turkey through Myanmar, India, Pakistan, Iran and Sri Lanka.
Finding the faults, the countries under the network already took the initiatives to solve those problems. The officials of this sector think that if those problems have been overcome with sincerity and legal negotiations then there will not be any obstacles to implement the network.
Bangladesh Railway took steps to construct rail line in the missing rail links to implement the network.
Bangladesh Railway Director General Tafazzal Hossain told banglanews, “We are trying to remove the problems in Trans-Asian railway network.”
If Dohazari-Ramu-Cox’s Bazar-Gundhum rail line project and Kulaura-Shahbajpur section project are implemented then regional connectivity and Trans-Asian railway network problems will be solved, he added.
Earlier on January 9, 2007, twenty two countries have signed the agreement. The Inter-governmental Agreement on the Asian Highway Network is expected to help in realizing an international standard inter-state transport and logistics structure for the region.
The link will provide immense potential to shorten the distances and reduce transit time between countries and regions, being a channel for the concept of international transportation as a tool for trade expansion, economic growth and cultural exchanges.
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), an office of UN in the region, arranged a meeting on 11 June 2009 for the occasion at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok. According to UNESCAP news the railway ministers of all parties participated in the ceremony through video messages.
Though no fruitful measures were seen during last three years in Bangladesh part but the incumbent government gave concentration to implement the projects.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide Tk20,000 crore loan in 2015-17 fiscal year where rail sector will be given top priority.
Rail Minister Mazibul Hoque said that Dohazari-Ramu-Cox’s Bazar-Gundhum rail project basically part of Trans-Asian railway and ADB assured the financial help in the project.
BDST: 1056 HRS, JUN 17, 2014
