Railway up to Kuakata: PM

Dhaka, Feb 9 (bdnews24.com) -- Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has said in parliament that her government would expand the railway link up to the tourist town of Kuakata through southern district of Barisal, which has no railway connection.

During the weekly question-hour session in parliament for the prime minister on Wednesday, Hasina also announced to build a railway bridge over the Brahmaputra River connecting Gaibandha's Bahadurabad and Balashighat in Jamalpur district.

"Inshallah, Barisal will see the rail line," Hasina told the House replying to a question from Workers' Party MP Rashed Khan Menon who hailed from Babuganj, Barisal.

"We've the plan to expand the proposed rail link from Bhanga to Kuakata through Barisal and Patuakhali," she said.

Sources at the communications ministry said Bangladesh Railway had already initiated the process to rehabilitate the Pachuria-Pukuria-Bhanga railway track in Faridpur district.

The railway authorities have undertaken the plan to extend the link up to Barisal, they said.

Hasina, however, sought time from people for the project saying the southern Barisal region was crisscrossed by many big rivers.

She said her previous government (1996-2001) gave Tangail district railway. "We have a plan to construct a bridge linking Bahadurabad and Balashighat points."

The railway authorities used to operate ferry services across the Brahmaputra to connect the two points.

After the construction of the Jamuna multipurpose bridge, the railway authorities stopped operating the ferry services to connect the country's northwest with the northeastern region.

PADMA BRIDGE SURPRISE

In response to a query about starting the construction work on the proposed Padma Bridge and the elevated expressway, the prime minister said, "The work will begin very soon. I know the dates. But, I want them to be a surprise."

Communications minister Syed Abul Hossain had told parliament earlier that construction on the Padma Bridge may start in July this year.

On Jan 19, the government signed a contract with Ital Thai Development Public Company Limited as the contractor for the elevated expressway. As per the contract, the company has three years to build the expressway.

bdnews24.com/krc/sh/mr/2010h