After a long waitKortia Rail Station inaugurated in Tangail

After a long wait of more than a decade, the ‘Sonalia-Kortia’ railway station has been officially inaugurated at the Habla Union's Sonalia area of Basail Upazila in Tangail.

On Saturday morning, Bangladesh Railways Director General Engineer Md. Afzal Hossain inaugurated the train station at Kortia in Tangail Sadar Upazila by cutting a ribbon and waving a green flag.

During the inauguration, Railway Director General Engineer Md. Afzal Hossain announced that the journey will initially begin with the ‘Rajshahi Mail’ local train.

He said, subsequently, the number of trains will be increased, including the Sirajgonj Express. There are also plans to launch a Tangail commuter train.

Liaquat Ali Khan Sharif; Manager of the Railways Pakshi Division; Gautam Kumar Kundu; Divisional Commercial Officer, Former Member of Parliament Morshed Ali Khan Panni and Abul Kalam Azad, Principal of H.M. Institute and College, among others were also present at the inaugural ceremony.

The station's opening has generated widespread enthusiasm among local residents. They are demanding that all trains make stops here and that the roads adjacent to the station be improved.

They told this reporter that although the station was built more than a generation ago, it was never opened due to various issues, including naming complexities. With the station's inauguration today after nearly 15 years, hundreds of thousands of people from the historic Sadat Government College and Kortia Haat, as well as the Basail and Sakhipur upazilas of Tangail district, will benefit from its facilities.

College student Halima Begum said, “We are very happy that the station is now operational. Our transportation will be much more convenient.”

Local resident Helal Mia said that before the station was opened, the government's assets worth tens of millions of taka were going to waste. Once the station opens, several hundred thousand people from three upazilas will benefit from this facility.

Shakil Ahmed said, “The station has finally opened nearly a decade after its construction. We must demand that all inter-city trains stop here and that the surrounding roads be improved. That will greatly ease our hardships.”

Bangladesh Railway's Director General Engineer Md. Afzal Hossain is a resident of Tangail Sadar and a source of pride for the people of Tangail.

A highly talented and dedicated official, he has carried out numerous development initiatives in Bangladesh Railway since joining the organization. A skilled professional like him will remain a guiding light for the railway sector for a lifetime.