The doors of dreams will open with the inauguration of the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway line on November 12 and after that, one can easily reach Cox's Bazar.
The Chattogram-Cox's Bazar highway is narrow. Multiple bazaar sits on this road. The passengers suffer from unnecessary traffic. All these problems will end with the railway movement.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will officially inaugurate the rail line on November 12. Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan is going there Monday to inspect the overall development and preparation of the work before the inauguration. After the visit, the railways minister will also expected to announce the program of experimental train movement.
Meanwhile, 91 percent of the overall construction of Cox's Bazar-Dohajari railway line has been completed. But the commercial will follow later.
Mohammad Sabuktagin, the director of this project, said that the progress of the whole project of railway construction is 91 percent and the progress of railway construction is more than 98 percent. Now some last-minute work is going on. Hon'ble Prime Minister will officially inaugurate it on November 12. The Railways Minister will inspect the overall progress and preparations of the work on Monday.
“But before the inauguration, there will be a trial run. First, the Railways Minister will visit Kalurghat Bridge and Dohazari Station. He will then visit the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway line and the iconic Cox's Bazar railway station,” he added.
According to sources, the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway line is being implemented at a cost of 18 thousand 34 crore 48 lakh taka. On April 3, 2011, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone for the construction of meter gauge railways up to Dohazari-Ramu-Cox's Bazar and Ramu-Ghundhum.
The project, if implemented, will create a safe, comfortable, cost-effective communication system for tourists and local people. Apart from this, fish, salt, paper raw materials, forestry, and agricultural products can be transported easily and at low cost.
Coxabazar will be reached by train in 7.5 hours from Dhaka and 2.5 hours from Chattogram. About 1 lakh people can travel daily. Apart from this, there will be a special refrigerated wagon service for the transportation of various products including fish, salt, and dried fruit from Cox's Bazar to other parts of the country.
(The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on October 16 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan)
