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Longest Rail Bridge over Jamuna River opens 

Trains to run at a speed of 120 km/h

Published : Wednesday, 19 March, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 544
Our Correspondent
Sirajganj, March 18: Country's largest Jamuna Rail Bridge was formally opened on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in Bangladesh's railway connectivity.

Railways Secretary Md Fahimul Islam inaugurated the bridge at 11:15am by unveiling a plaque, cutting a ribbon and releasing balloons at the Ibrahimabad Station area on the eastern side of the bridge.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi and the Director General of JICA's South Asia Department were present as special guests at the ceremony.

A train entered the bridge at 12:15pm and it reached the Sirajganj section within 3.5 minutes.

Project Director Al Fattah Masudur Rahman said trains now will be able to run at a speed of 120 km/h, revolutionising rail communication between Dhaka and the northwestern region.

With its introduction, not only will railway travel time be significantly reduced, but it will also fulfill a long-standing dream of better connectivity and economic growth for the northwestern region.

Previously, the Jamuna River had left Sirajganj and the northern districts isolated, depriving them of adequate development.

The 4.8km-long Jamuna Rail Bridge features 50 pillars and 49 spans. With additional railway embankments and loops, the total railway track installed spans 30.73 km.

Initially, the project was budgeted at Tk 9,734.07 crore during the previous Awami League government's tenure, but the cost later increased to Tk 16,780.96 crore. Of this, 27.6 percent was financed domestically while 72.4 percent was funded by a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Japanese company OTG and IHI Joint Venture implemented the project, with contributions from five major Japanese contractors.

Over 7,000 workers from Japan, Vietnam, Nepal, Australia, the Philippines, and Bangladesh worked for four years to complete the bridge.

On February 12, commercial passenger train operations commenced on the bridge when the intercity Silk City Express crossed from Rajshahi to Dhaka at a speed of 50 km/h in six minutes. From Tuesday, trains will operate at full capacity on both up and down lanes, running at speeds of 120 km/h.



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