A train left Chittagong Railway Station on a trial basis on Sunday to inspect the construction work of the newly built rail tracks stretching from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar.
The test run was conducted ahead of the formal inauguration by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on November 11.
The train, carrying railway officials, left the Chittagong station at 9:20am, though it was scheduled to leave at 8am. It reached the newly-built Cox’s Bazar station through Dohazari in the evening.
Locomotive Master Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman and Assistant Locomotive Master Rukhan Miah operated the train.
Guards, members of the Railway Police, and officials of commercial and transport sections of the country’s Eastern Railway Zone were among the passengers.
Nazmul Islam, director general of the railway’s Eastern Zone (Chittagong), said the project cannot be inaugurated without inspection by the Department of Railway Inspection.
Ruhul Amin, inspector at the Eastern Zone, said the aim of the trial is to inspect whether the newly-built rail line is fine.
On Saturday, three engines of the train ran on the Kalurghat Bridge on a trial basis.
On October 16, Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan inspected the rail line from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar by a trolley.
According to the project officials, a 102km new dual gauge single railway line from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar has been built at a cost of Tk18,000 crore.
On April 3, 2011, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone for the construction of the railway line between Dohazari-Ramu-Cox’s Bazar and Ramu-Gumdhum.