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India is set to formally roll out the first rake of 19 LHB broad-gauge passenger coaches built for Bangladesh Railway at the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala on Wednesday.
According to India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB), the first rake comprises three AC sleeper coaches, three AC chair cars, 11 non-AC chair cars and two power cars.
The coaches have been specially designed and modified to meet Bangladesh Railway’s passenger and operational requirements.
Passenger comfort features include reclining seats, stainless-steel handrails and footrests. The AC coaches are equipped with fans, integrated CCTV cameras, passenger alert systems, partially openable windows, baby-care rooms and prayer rooms.
The coaches also feature reinforced roofs to better suit Bangladesh’s operating conditions.
For enhanced safety, the coaches incorporate crash-protection features based on the European EN 15227 standard.
They have also been fitted with a 415-volt electrical system, instead of the 750-volt system commonly used by Indian Railways, to ensure compatibility with Bangladesh Railway’s electrical infrastructure.
The Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala has a long history of supplying coaches to Bangladesh. In 2015-16, it manufactured 120 LHB broad-gauge coaches for Bangladesh Railway.
Building on that cooperation, Bangladesh placed a new order in 2024 for 200 broad-gauge passenger coaches across seven categories. The 19-coach rake being rolled out this week is the first consignment under that agreement.
