Uncertainty about starting AC coaches on Chittagong Cox’s Bazar route

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Even after a month and a half of deciding to add AC and better quality coaches to intercity trains on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route, there is no progress in its implementation; Rather, the plan has become uncertain due to the discussion of starting a new special train on the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route with that compartment. At present, the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route trains running in old coaches do not have AC and cabin facilities. Instead of increasing the passenger service, the service on this route is decreasing. The potential of this tourism-dependent route is not being fully exploited.

Railways decided to add better quality coaches with air-conditioned (AC) coaches in intercity trains plying on Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route. Even after a month and a half, there is no visible progress in the implementation of this decision. Uncertainty has been created whether these high-quality compartments will be added at all.

Railways is not clarifying when the intercity trains of this route will run with new coaches. The railway officials are not giving the reason for the delay in the implementation of the decision. On the contrary Railways is reportedly planning to run a special train from Dhaka instead of Chittagong with AC coaches. Due to this, many passengers fear that the plan to add AC coaches will remain as a talk of the railways in the end or not.

According to railway sources, the train movement on the newly constructed railway line Cox’s Bazar route was officially started on December 1, 2023. Initially, two pairs of non-stop trains were provided from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar. These two trains named Cox’s Bazar and Tourist Express stop only at Chittagong railway station.

Apart from this, two pairs of intercity trains operate on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route. Despite the increase in passenger demand on this route, all the coaches of the trains are old and not up to standard. Especially due to lack of AC coaches and cabin facilities, many passengers are losing interest in train travel on this route. Due to the lack of quality services on this tourism-dependent route, the revenue potential is not fully exploited.

Despite the demand, Railways did not provide any regular train on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route for more than one year. Although a special train was started in between, it was stopped at one stage due to engine and carriage problems. Railways started two pairs of regular trains from February 1, 2025 in response to the demands of local residents.

These four trains are run by a single rake (one rake with engine and multiple coaches). This often disrupts the schedule and passengers suffer due to delays.

According to a railway document, it was decided to add new improved quality coaches to intercity trains on Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route on March 9. New coaches from South Korea have been added to Mahanagar Express train running on Dhaka-Chittagong route. It was decided to add all the coaches including the AC coaches removed from the metropolitan trains to Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route trains. The bogies were imported from Indonesia in 2020. If these coaches built in Indonesia are added to Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route trains, the quality of passenger service would be improved. At present, the trains of this route are running with old coaches.

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According to information from the Transport Department of Railways, the Saikat and Prabal Express trains run with 16 coaches. Apart from these old coaches, the plan was to add one new AC cabin, one non-AC cabin, three AC chairs (soft), eight ornamental chairs, one power car and two guard brakes. Each train has about 750 seats.

Two senior railway officials told Prothom Alo that all preparations were made to run inter-city trains on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route with air-conditioned coaches. But now a special train can be started from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar with these coaches. Discussions are underway to run this train from Thursday to Saturday of the week. If this decision is made, then intercity trains plying on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route will run in the same coaches as they are now running.

The two officials said that this situation was created mainly due to the pressure of politicians. There is pressure from local politicians for two pairs of non-stop trains plying on the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route to stop at intermediate stations. But it is not possible to stop these two pairs of trains. So the discussion of running a new special train is going on. The special train will stop at various stations from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar.

However, the officials did not agree to reveal the names of the politicians. The general manager of the eastern region of the railway. Sabuktgin told Prothom Alo that they want to provide better quality services on the Cox’s Bazar route. There are plans to run one more train from Dhaka due to demand. However, they will decide within a week when the train will run.

The train passengers of Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route complained that considering the demand of the passengers, Railways provided regular trains on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route one year after the line was launched. However, despite the name of intercity train, there are no such facilities. The train carriages are also very old. Due to lack of air-conditioned coaches and cabins, many passengers lose interest in traveling by train. Coaches with modern facilities are not provided on Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route which is popular and has peak passenger demand. Now, even if the decision is made, the delay in its implementation is disappointing.

Engineer Delwar Majumdar, Chittagong president of TIB Chittagong, told Prothom Alo that the people of this region have given land for the construction of Cox’s Bazar railway line. Due to the construction work, they have to bear many hardships and sufferings. So better quality train is their right. But in the beginning no train was given. Later, despite the demand, regular trains were given, but the quality of the coaches is not good. It is very important to have good quality coaches on this route. Because a lot of people from Chittagong city and Cox’s Bazar come and go to the two cities for travel and urgent work. Therefore considering the need railways should add better quality coaches and increase the number of trains.