Bangladesh Railway land under illegal occupation will be identified and reclaimed, said Road Transport and Bridges and Railway Minister Shaikh Robiul Alam on Tuesday.
"We want to use the land first for railway needs and then for the needs of the state. The railway land under occupation will be reclaimed," he told reporters at Saidpur Railway Workshop in Nilphamari after inspecting the facility in the morning.
There are around 2,400 railway residential units in Saidpur, of which about 900 are currently occupied, he said.
"There is no shortage of residential accommodation. Many people are reluctant to live in railway quarters because better houses are available for rent outside at lower costs than the rent charged for old railway buildings," he said.
The minister said around 60 to 70 acres of railway land is under the control of the municipality, leading to a dispute between the railway authorities and the municipal administration that was largely under legal proceedings.
The issue was discussed at a meeting with the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and other relevant officials, he said.
Considering the tradition and importance of rail travel, the sector's capacity and coverage need to be expanded further, which was also an election pledge of the government, he said.
The minister said he visited Saidpur to explore how the country's two railway workshops could contribute to the initiative.
During the inspection, he learned about the facilities' problems and potential, observed the production of some spare parts and checked their quality.
Emphasizing the need to improve the quality of coach repairs, the minister said the workshop has some old but quality machines.
Around 400 coaches across the eastern and western railway zones are awaiting repairs, he said, adding that the government is considering recruiting skilled technicians to repair the coaches and bring them back into service.
Regarding railway hospitals, the minister said it has become difficult for the railway authorities to operate the facilities and ensure necessary medical services through doctors and nurses.
The matter has been discussed with the Ministry of Health, and an initiative would be taken to operate around nine railway hospitals across the country under a joint management arrangement with the ministry, he added.
Deputy Commissioner of Nilphamari district Humayun Kabir and senior Bangladesh Railway officials were present during the visit.