Bangladesh has reportedly expressed keen interest in buying freight wagons and passenger coaches from Pakistan after being offered rolling stock at prices lower than those quoted by other international suppliers.
A two-member Bangladeshi delegation recently visited key Pakistan Railways facilities to assess manufacturing capacity and technical standards, according to Pakistani English-language newspaper Dawn.
The delegation, led by Farhad Islam, secretary for international organisations and consular affairs and designated D-8 commissioner, along with Bangladesh's High Commissioner to Pakistan Mohammad Iqbal Hussain Khan, toured the Mughalpura workshop in Lahore on Friday.
They had earlier visited the Pakistan Railways carriage factory in Islamabad.
During the visit, Muhammad Nasir Khalili, chief mechanical engineer (carriage and wagons), briefed the delegation on the operations, technical capabilities and ongoing projects of Pakistan Railways' manufacturing units.
A presentation outlining the workshops' operational strengths was also shown.
Khalili said Pakistan and Bangladesh share historical and cultural ties and that there is considerable scope for cooperation, particularly in the railway sector.
The delegation was later taken on a detailed tour of the Mughalpura Locomotive Workshop, where officials explained various stages of locomotive maintenance, rehabilitation and production.
Describing the visit as informative and encouraging, the Bangladeshi diplomats praised the technical expertise of Pakistan Railways.
"Our visit stands as a clear testament to the strengthening bonds of friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh," Farhad was quoted as saying.
Pakistan's Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi has also underscored the importance of strengthening railway-to-railway cooperation, saying such collaboration could deliver tangible benefits for both countries.
Pakistan Railways is currently supplying passenger coaches and wagons to four broad-gauge countries -- Sri Lanka, Nepal, Chile and Argentina.
In a statement, Abbasi said the exports demonstrated Pakistan's ability to manufacture modern rolling stock using indigenous capacity.
Khalili said railway experts from Bangladesh are expected to visit Pakistan again in the next phase for a more detailed technical evaluation.
Pakistan Railways has previously exported rolling stock to Bangladesh in the 1980s and supplied freight wagons to Sri Lanka in 1999, 2000 and 2009.
In the current regional context, Pakistan is positioning itself as a cost-effective alternative supplier for Bangladesh.
"Bangladesh was dealing with India regarding the provision of wagons and coaches. But now Dhaka has shown its interest in us for this purpose," Khalili said, adding that the delegation had also inspected facilities in Islamabad earlier in the week.
�"bdnews24.com
