Railway getting popular among importers

Bangladesh Railway, which operates and maintains all railways in the country, registered remarkable earnings in the last couple of years as the comparatively cheaper and hassle-free mode of transport is gaining popularity among local importers.

But despite the handsome revenue, the state-owned rail transport agency is yet to upgrade the services and facilities available.

And although this causes problems for the importers, they still prefer to carry goods by train instead of road transport since it is more cost effective.

However, most railway stations do not even have the necessary facilities for unloading goods.

During a visit to different unloading stations in the railway's west zone, it was found that most of them lacked weighing scales, parking space for trucks, and yard facilities for storing imported goods.

Bangladesh has been importing food grain from various Indian states by train for the past few years, according to Toimur Alom, site manager of AR Group, a trading firm.

The imported goods are taken to different areas of the country on trucks loaded from the Bangabandhu Bridge West Railway Station.

"But we don't have the minimum facility for handling imported goods here at the station." Alom told the Daily Star.

"After unloading goods from the train, we need to take them by truck to Sirajganj town for weighing, which is a 15-kilometre journey, since there are no weighing scales at the rail station," he said.

Shahin Habib, a truck driver, told The Daily Star that due to a lack of proper connectivity with adjoining areas and parking space at the station, they often have to load their trucks on marshy lands, which was a major hassle for vehicle movement.

While visiting the Ishwardi Railway Station, a major unloading station in the west zone, it was found that there was insufficient space to accommodate trucks at the station. Only two trucks can be loaded at a time while huge wagons were found stranded at the station for days.

"If we get the facility for unloading goods with 5 to 6 trucks simultaneously, then we can easily unload 50 wagons within 3 to 4 days," said Md Manik Hossain, representative of RRP Feed, an agro-goods importer.

"Currently though, we need 10 to 12 days to unload goods," he added.

Although there are vast swathes of unused space around Ishwardi station, land grabbers have occupied most of the area, creating huge hassles for loading and unloading goods.

So even though Bangladesh Railway has established a platform for unloading goods at the station, there is no space for trucks to be loaded at these platforms, Manik said.

"If the relevant authorities take the initiative to remove grabbers from railway land and establish yards for truck movement at the newly built platform, then the unloading of goods will be fast possible," said Md Tohurul Islam, leader of a railway workers association.

Md Nasir Uddin, the divisional commercial officer of the railway's west zone, said goods were being loaded and unloaded at 17 stations in the west zone while five or six more are getting ready to do the same.

"We know there are some limitations for unloading goods with the existing facilities of the stations but Bangladesh Railway has taken the initiative to improve stations by introducing more facilities for importers and exporters," Uddin said.

In particular, local importers who source their goods from India prefer rail transport due to its cheap cost.

To carry one tonne of goods from India to Bangladesh by train, one needs to spend Tk 367 but the cost of road transport is nearly double that.

Besides, rail transport faces far less hassle than goods laden trucks, said RRP Representative Hossain, adding that his company imports around 500 tonnes of wheat by train every month.

According to the railway's Pakshey division, a total of about Tk 286 crore was earned from transporting goods by rail in the last couple of years, including the ongoing pandemic period.

Of the total revenue, around Tk 248 crore came from Indian cargo trains alone.

Indian trains have been carrying imported goods to Bangladesh through five border points of the Bangladesh Railway's west zone -- Benapole, Dorshona, Rohonpur and Chilaahaati -- under Pakshey division and Birol of Lalmonirhat division.

The railway's Pakshey division registered its highest-ever earnings from imports in the last couple of years, said Divisional Commercial Officer Uddin, adding that due to the gradual success of revenue collection at three border points, the railway resumed its services at the Chilahaati border point from last month.

"Now, four border points in Pakshey division have successfully begun operation of international goods trains," he said.

Importers have long demanded smoother transportation facilities to carry their goods to and from Dhaka, Chattogram, and other major cities for the sake of increasing business.

Importers mostly depend on getting contracts with Indian trains for their goods since there are not any Bangladeshi cargo trains that go to India.

While speaking with The Daily Star, officials of Bangladesh Railway said development work was ongoing to increase the railway services for import-export activities.

"Construction of a double line is also underway. After completing construction of the development work, goods train movement will be easier, then the existing obstacles would be removed," Uddin said.

The railway's west zone has enough wagons to carry goods through international borders.

"So, we expect to send our trains to India in the future if we get booking from traders," he said, adding that considering the increasing profit, the authorities are planning to resume operations at all closed borders soon.