Staff Reporter:
The government on Friday signed an agreement with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to obtain loans for the construction of a dual gauge double line railway between Gazipur’s Joydebpur and Pabna’s Ishwardi.
Under the loan agreement, JICA will provide a Japanese ODA (Official Development Assistance) loan of up to 92,077 million Japanese Yen (equivalent to Tk7,694 crore) for the construction. The signing ceremony took place on 27 June 2025, at the Economic Relations Division, Sher-E-Bangla Nagar, Agargaon, Dhaka.
Ichiguchi Tomohide, chief representative of JICA Bangladesh, signed the loan agreement with Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky, secretary at Economic Relations Division.
This agreement was signed for the first tranche of the project loan. Previously, another loan agreement was signed with JICA for the procurement of engineering services for the project in March 2023. Bangladesh Railway has completed the selection of engineering consultants for the project and the detailed design work for the project is expected to start very soon.
The 162 km long dual gauge double-line rail track is expected to enhance railway transportation capacity by double-tracking the existing rail tracks between Joydebpur and Ishwardi.
This project will play a crucial role in strengthening the rail connectivity of the country, and it will significantly contribute to leveraging the full potential of the Jamuna Railway Bridge, which has also been constructed under JICA’s loan. This project is expected to enhance logistics capacity between the western part of the country and Dhaka, thereby improving connectivity within the country and neighboring countries, and is likely to promote economic development.
In his remarks, JICA’s Ichiguchi Tomohide emphasised, “Today, we have agreed to implement a crucial project to enhance rail connectivity in Bangladesh. However, the main objective is to support the people of Bangladesh to advance forward for prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable development. I hope our contribution will help the people of the country who are working very hard to create a better Bangladesh.”
Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky thanked the people of Japan for their generous support extended to the people of Bangladesh.
