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Pabna is set to get its first direct train service to Dhaka from November 19, ending a long-standing demand of residents for a direct rail link with the capital.
The Ministry of Railways approved two trains for the route and issued a notification on Thursday, following approval of a proposal submitted by Bangladesh Railway on November 4, said Md Rejaul Karim Siddiki, the ministry’s public relations officer, in a press release.
Under the approved schedule, the Pabna Provati Express (Train No 808) will leave Pabna at 8:00am and reach Dhaka at 2:10pm. Its return service, the Pabna Godhuli Express (Train No 807), will depart Dhaka at 3:25pm and arrive in Pabna at 9:20pm.
Rail Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam will inaugurate the service at Pabna Railway Station on November 19, after which commercial operations will begin, said Md Abu Hena Mostafa Alam, divisional railway manager of Paksey.
Initially, each train will operate with 12 coaches and stop at 10 stations along the route, he added.
Md Akhtaruzzaman, president of Pabna Press Club, said the service would fulfil a long-standing demand of district residents, who had remained without a direct rail connection to the capital despite the region’s long railway history.
Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, lawmaker for Pabna-5, described the launch as the fulfilment of an important electoral pledge.
“The people of Pabna have waited a long time for this direct rail link,” he said.
Rail connectivity in the region dates back to 1915, when the Hardinge Bridge over the Padma was opened. The inauguration of the Jamuna Bridge in 1998 further strengthened railway links between the northern and southern parts of the country. However, Pabna town had continued to lack a direct train service to Dhaka.