BR in need of electric traction for transition

The Bangladesh Railway (BR) continues to lag far behind global trends in railway electrification, despite adopting a formal policy more than a decade ago for transition from diesel-powered trains to electric traction. While many countries have successfully modernised their rail networks through electrification, BR's efforts remain fragmented, poorly sequenced and largely confined to paper.

Ongoing projects still prioritise track upgrades without integrating electric traction, resulting in higher costs, lost time and missed opportunities for efficiency.

Railway electrification is no longer an experimental concept. More than 70 countries worldwide operate electric train services, benefiting from lower operating costs, reduced emissions, and improved speed and reliability. In contrast, Bangladesh Railway has yet to move beyond a handful of specialised or pilot initiatives.

At present, only one electric commuter train project is expected to reach the physical implementation stage next year, underscoring how slowly the transition is taking place.

A recent report published in this newspaper, quoting railway sources, reveals that the BR has already launched two massive projects on the Dhaka-Chattogram rail corridor aimed at converting the existing double-lane metre-gauge tracks into dual-gauge lines. The combined estimated cost of these projects stands at Tk 333.08 billion. The two segments include the Laksam-Chinki Astana-Chattogram section, costing Tk 187.21 billion, and the Tongi-Bhairab Bazar-Akhaura section, estimated at Tk 145.87 billion. Both projects are set to be included in the current fiscal year.

However, critics argue that the most glaring shortcoming of these initiatives is the absence of electric traction components. Had electrification been incorporated at the planning and execution stages, BR could have carried out track development and electrification simultaneously-saving substantial time and money. Retrofitting electric infrastructure at a later stage will inevitably push costs higher and prolong disruption to services.

Railway officials acknowledge that priorities have been misaligned. According to them, immediate focus should be on developing the so-called "chord line," which would connect Cumilla to Laksam over a distance of approximately 95 kilometres. Once operational, this link would reduce travel time between the two points from nearly five hours to about two and a half hours, dramatically improving passenger convenience and network efficiency.

Electric traction, officials note, offers long-term economic advantages despite its higher upfront costs. While electric locomotives require significant initial investment for procurement and infrastructure, their maintenance and overhauling expenses are roughly 50 percent lower than those of diesel locomotives. Electric trains rely on transformers, traction motors, and sensor-based systems that are simpler to maintain and require less downtime compared to diesel engines, which depend heavily on mechanical spare parts. Over time, these savings translate into lower operating costs and improved service reliability.

The Bangladesh Railway formally included electric traction in its revised Railway Master Plan, approved in January 2018. The Dhaka-Chattogram corridor was identified as the top priority for electrification. Yet, meaningful progress has been slow. Studies on electric traction along the Narayanganj-Dhaka-Tongi-Joydevpur-Chattogram route only began recently. So far, partial studies covering the Narayanganj to Joydevpur section have been completed. Meanwhile, a separate feasibility study for the chord line-also considering electrification-was initiated in 2023 and has now reached its final stage.

Experts argue that the lack of foresight has already resulted in costly inefficiencies. The BR was compelled to implement a dual-gauge project on the Dhaka-Chattogram corridor shortly after completing a single-lane metre-gauge track only a few years earlier. This reactive approach reflects poor long-term planning.

Currently, dual-gauge development has been completed only between Akhaura and Laksam, leaving the rest of the corridor inconsistent and operationally constrained.

In addition, a dedicated electric traction project for the Narayanganj-Dhaka-Joydevpur corridor is projected to cost Tk 39.33 billion. While this is a positive step, critics note that such standalone projects further fragment the network rather than creating a unified electrified corridor.

A senior railway official stressed the need for a comprehensive and integrated planning framework. He pointed to the Joydevpur-Ishwardi project, where electric traction has been incorporated at the detailed design stage, as a model that should be replicated across all major developments. He also highlighted that BR's planned bypass line from Dhirasram to Tongi-linked to the proposed Inland Container Depot (ICD)-offers an opportunity to prioritise electric traction on the chord line. Doing so would connect northern districts directly to Chattogram, creating an efficient freight corridor critical for economic growth.

For the Bangladesh Railway, the challenge is no longer about policy formulation but about execution. Without a visionary, integrated approach that combines track development with electrification from the outset, the BR risks repeating costly mistakes. Delayed electrification, missed opportunities in ongoing projects, and an excessive focus on isolated schemes continue to undermine the country's rail modernisation goals.

If Bangladesh is to build a railway system for the future, electric traction must move from policy documents to construction sites. This should get embedded in every major rail project at the planning stage. Only then can the BR deliver faster, cleaner and more cost-effective rail services aligned with global standards.

Writer is an acclaimed Bangladeshi novelist and short story writer. His works in original and in translation have been anthologized in Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and UK. He has co-authored and edited an anthology of South Asian short stories