200 Indian Broad Gauge Coaches to Join Railway Fleet by 2027

Bangladesh Railway is set to bolster its fleet with 200 new broad gauge passenger coaches from India between June 2026 and December 2027, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam informed Parliament on Thursday.

The Minister shared the update during a Q&A session on the 12th day of the current National Assembly session. Responding to a written query from Faridpur-1 MP Md. Ilias Molla regarding a potential Dhaka-Kamalapur to Gopalganj route via Faridpur and Rajbari, the Minister noted that route expansions depend on the arrival of these new carriages.

The procurement project is funded by the European Investment Bank. "Once the coaches are integrated into the fleet, Bangladesh Railway will initiate plans to determine and launch new train routes," the Minister stated.

Addressing a separate question from Chapainawabganj-3 MP Md. Nurul Islam, the Minister acknowledged current operational challenges. He revealed that 19 mail/commuter trains and 21 local trains in the western zone are currently suspended due to acute shortages of engines, coaches, and manpower. Additionally, 7 to 8 freight trains are delayed daily due to these logistical constraints.