Eye-catchy photographs of a rail station have created a buzz in social media recently and people are asking whether the photos are of any rail station located in American or European counties. However, the photos are of upcoming Cox’s Bazar rail station which is going to give the tourism city a new dimension.

The trains scheduled to run in the station will go through hills and forests of the Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram. All most all the modern facilities will be available in the station. Locker services will be available in it and the tourists, who would reach Cox’s Bazar early in the morning, can keep their luggage into the lockers safely and then go to the tourist destination after the morning breaks out.  A little fee will be needed to have the service. Even, they can keep their luggage in the lockers while visiting tourist spots in the city.

The construction work of rail road from Dohazari of Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar is going on rapidly. According to the authorities concerned of the project, the tourist could travel to Cox’s Bazar by train within this June.

If the rail communication system is completed, then transportation of agro products, fish, and slat could be done easily besides travelling facilities of the tourists. The local businessmen think it will initiate a revolutionary change in tourism of Cox’s Bazar as well as in the economy of the district.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the foundation work of rail road from Dohazari to Chattogram and Ramu to Ghumdhum on April 3, 2011. Already, 80 percent of the construction work of 100 km long Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar rail road has been completed and it’s going to be open this year.

Recently, Rail Minister Md Nurul Islam Shujan visited the rail project works in Cox’s Bazar. He said, “Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar rail road will be open hopefully within June to October this year. The train consists high quality coaches like tourist coach. A new project was taken in this regard and 54 coaches will be purchased. The coaches will have wide windows, through which the tourists could see the natural scenes while travelling.”

Local MP Saimum Sarwar Kamon said, “88 km rail road from Chattogram’s Dohazari to Ramu and 12 km rail road from Ramu to Cox’s Bazar are under construction. The work of 29 km long rail road from Ramu to Ghumdhum has been halted as the consent of Myanmar government hasn’t been conveyed yet.”

According to the concerned project men, in the 100 km long rail road, there’ll be eight stations: Satkania, Lohagara, Chakria, Dulahazra, Eidgaon, Ramu and Cox’s Bazar Sadar stations. In this regard, three bridges have been constructed over Sangu, Matamuhuri and Bakkhali Rivers. In addition, 43 small bridges, 201 culverts and 144 level-crossings will be constructed on the rail road. One flyover in Kaochia of Satkani, two highway-crossing in Ramu and Cox’s Bazar, three underpasses and one overpass for movement of big animals like elephants are also under construction.  

The iconic and magnificent rail station is being built over 29 acres of land in Hajipara area of Jhilangja union, seven km away from Cox’s Bazar sadar. The construction of infrastructure in different parts of the six-storied building is at the last stage. Three platforms of 650 meters long and 12 meters wide are being built adjacent to the iconic main building.

The station will include residential hotel, canteen, lockers, and car parking facility. According to Dohazari-Ramu-Cox’s Bazar rail line project director Mafizur Rahman, 50 km of the proposed 100 km long rail road is still visible now. The deadline of the project is June 2024; however we’re trying to complete it within June to October this year.

Engineer GM Alamgir, the chairman of Max Group, the project contractor organization, said, “The Max Infrastructure is operating in two phases. We’re advancing our works accurately.”

According to the modified proposal, the cost of 100 km long rail line from Dohazari to Ramu was fixed at Tk 18, 034 crore. Asian Development Bank and the government of Bangladesh are fincaing the project. 

@The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on January 15 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque