Jamuna Railway Bridge opens for passenger trains

The long-awaited railway bridge over the River Jamuna was officially opened for passenger trains on Tuesday. A train entered the bridge at 12:15 pm and passed over it, reaching the Sirajganj section within three and a half minutes. 

Railways Ministry Secretary Md Fahimul Islam inaugurated the bridge at Ibrahimabad Station, Tangail, at 11:45 am by unveiling a plaque, cutting a ribbon, and releasing balloons.

The new bridge enhances communication, trade, and the economy, improving railway connectivity between Dhaka and the northern, southern, and western regions. However, while designed for double lanes, it currently operates with a single lane, limiting its full potential.

The ceremony, chaired by Bangladesh Railways Director General Md. Afzal Hossain, was attended by special guests including Japan's Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi and Teruyuki Ito, South Asia Director of JICA. Project Director Al Fattah Masudur Rahman delivered the welcome address.

Constructed on 50 pillars and 49 spans, the bridge is the longest and most modern in Bangladesh, located 300 meters upstream from the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge. It will facilitate 88 high-speed trains daily, a significant upgrade from the 38 slower trains operating since the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge's inauguration in 1998.