Bangladesh’s Ministry of Railways has taken a fresh initiative to rehabilitate critically aging railway tracks in the western region by proposing a Tk2,119 crore project, as years of inadequate maintenance continue to expose major safety and operational risks. Railway officials say nearly 15% of rails and around one-third of sleepers across the region have deteriorated, while persistent shortages of ballast have disrupted track balance, gauge and alignment, forcing speed restrictions on several key routes and raising concerns over accident risks.

The first-phase Detailed Project Proposal (DPP), already submitted to the Planning Commission and cleared for placement before the ECNEC, aims to rehabilitate 449 kilometres of routes covering 514 kilometres of tracks, including strategic sections such as Joydebpur–Ibrahimabad, Saydabad–Ishwardi Bypass, Ishwardi–Saidpur and Abdulpur–Rajshahi Court. According to railway engineers, most of these lines were built using rails manufactured between 1930 and 1969, with wear rates now rising to 12–15%, resulting in frequent cracks, welding joint failures and rail breakages.

Although Bangladesh Railway added nearly 948 kilometres of new rail lines over the past 15 years, maintenance of older infrastructure—particularly in the western zone—has lagged behind. Officials estimate that the region requires an annual allocation of Tk150–300 crore for proper track rehabilitation, but funding has consistently fallen short. In the current fiscal year, only Tk65 crore has been allocated for maintenance, leaving weakened tracks to carry traffic far beyond their designed capacity amid heavy passenger pressure.

Railway sources warn that continued underinvestment has already led to unusable sleepers, poor tamping, track imbalance and declining service quality, with trains forced to operate at reduced speeds on multiple sections. The situation is especially concerning given the western network’s strategic importance for future passenger and freight connectivity, including planned cross-border rail links with India and broader regional initiatives such as the Trans-Asian Railway, BBIN and BIMSTEC corridors. Officials caution that without timely rehabilitation, operating trains on these aging lines may become increasingly difficult, threatening both safety and long-term transport goals.