Railway to replace ageing locomotives under Tk2,769cr project

The government is set to approve a Tk2,769 crore project to procure 30 metre-gauge diesel-electric locomotives for Bangladesh Railway, replacing its ageing fleet.

The proposal is scheduled to be placed before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday, a senior official told the Daily Sun. If approved, the project will be completed by December 2029.

The government will contribute Tk811.38 crore, while the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will provide Tk1,958 crore in financing. Each locomotive is estimated to cost around Tk69 crore, putting the total procurement cost at Tk2,070 crore. The locomotives will be procured through open tender, with no specific country or company named in the proposal.

Bangladesh Railway currently has 164 metre-gauge locomotives, of which 115 have exceeded their 20-year economic lifespan under the railway’s Mechanical Code Manual. According to the project proposal, 62 of these engines are more than 40 years old but remain in operation. While diesel-electric locomotives generally require replacement after 30 years, 79 metre-gauge engines have already crossed that threshold.

The railway has 292 locomotives in total, comprising 164 metre-gauge and 128 broad-gauge engines.

The proposal notes that operating and maintaining the ageing locomotives has become increasingly expensive, while spare parts are becoming difficult and costly to source. Prolonged shortages of operational locomotives could disrupt train services and force some trains to remain off the tracks, it warns.

Railway officials said the new locomotives would help meet growing demand for intercity passenger and freight services, improve operational reliability and increase locomotive availability. The project is also expected to reduce maintenance costs and boost railway revenue.

Alongside the locomotives, the project includes the procurement of capital and consumable spare parts, tools and equipment. Railway engineers and supervisors will receive technical training, while manufacturers’ experts will train local maintenance and operating personnel. Service engineers will also provide technical assistance for a specified period.

A Planning Commission official said preparations for the project had been completed. “Once implemented, the project will reduce travel time, increase transport capacity and lower transport costs,” he said. “As a result, Bangladesh Railway will be able to carry more passengers faster and at lower cost, helping reduce pressure on road transport and the associated expenditure.”

Md Shuboktagin, additional director general (infrastructure) of Bangladesh Railway, said the project would be financed through an AIIB loan. “Procurement-related matters will be finalised after the project is approved,” he said.

The proposal says Bangladesh Railway’s share of the national transport market remains low despite strong demand. Increasing its share could help reduce government spending on road infrastructure development and maintenance.

It also identifies the Dhaka-Chattogram route as one of the country’s busiest metre-gauge corridors, where both road and rail transport capacity remain inadequate.

The railway cited delays in converting metre-gauge lines to dual gauge as another reason for continuing reliance on the ageing locomotives. Although the Railway Master Plan had targeted completing the conversion by 2040, metre-gauge operations may now continue until 2055-60.