The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain yesterday firmly said the government is striving to put in place a secure and smooth rail communication in the country. The present government wants to improve the railway service as a cost effective transport mode to make it available for common people, he said.

The minister was talking to the news agency after inauguration of newly introduced facilities for Dhaka-Chittagong inter-city Subarna Express here.

He alleged that the BNP led four-party alliance government and the caretaker regime did not take any single step to develop the railway sector.

They neither expanded the railway network nor improved the service with an ill motive to ruin the sector, he said.

The new facilities of the Subarna Express, introduced with the support of Grameen Phone, will have LCD television in the air- condition compartments of the train, mobile charger, first aid box, fire extinguisher and two mobile sets.

Apart from enjoying music, drama and various recreational events the commuters will have opportunity to have various social awareness programmes, officials said. Gradually the facilities will be expanded to other compartments also, the minister said.

Abul Hossain said the government over the last ten months has undertaken a number of programmes and projects involving Taka 2,700 crore for the revival of the railway sector.

Some of the projects have already been approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), he said.

Earlier, the minister attended a contract signing ceremony of rehabilitation of Dhaka-Narayanganj railway line.

Bangladesh Railway signed the contract with ENCEE-Toma JV under which 20.10 kilometre rail line will be rehabilitated.

The minister said three more contracts would be signed by November and five by December for various projects of the railway and the work order of the projects would be issued at the beginning of 2010.

He said a proposal for procurement of none diesel engine from South Korea has been sent to the cabinet committee on public procurement for approval.

The minister expected that the government will sign purchase contact with Korea after getting the nod of the committee by the end of this year. The procurement will be completed by next 18 months, he said.

Director General (DG) of Bangladesh Railway Belayet Hossain, Additional DG TA Chowdhury, General Manager (east) Nurul Amin, Chief Communication Manager of Grameen Phone Kazi Monirul Kabir and high officials of the communication ministry were present.