BHANGA, Faridpur, Oct 10, 2023 (BSS) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today crossed the mighty river Padma by a special train through the Padma Bridge after she formally opened the 82-km railway track from Dhaka to Bhanga, touching another millstone to boost the country's economy.

The premier unveiled a plaque of the rail link from Dhaka to Bhanga digitally by pressing a switch at a civic rally at Mawa Railway Station in Munshiganj at 12.24pm.

After launching the new train service, the premier along with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana took a ride on a special train from Mawa to attend a grand rally at Dr Kazi Abu Yusuf Stadium here.

Sheikh Hasina and her sister collected tickets for them and children members of their family from two female ticket sellers at the Mawa Railway Station at 12.52pm. After collecting the tickets, the Prime Minister and her family members were seen showing the tickets to the people present there. 

The premier along with her family members boarded the train by waving green flag and blowing whistle at 12.55pm. 

While the train was crossing the Padma Bridge, the premier was seen enjoying outside scenery and at one stage, she was observed praying to Almighty Allah raising her hands. Her family members joined the prayers with her. 

Sheikh Hasina was seen enquiring about the well-being of her co-passengers in the special train containing 14 coaches that was heading to Bhanga from Mawa.

 
Apart from the Prime Minister's family members and dignitaries, 50 other people from different professions travelled with her by the train. 

The 50 people included four freedom fighters, four primary students, one primary teacher, three madrasah students, one Imam, one madrasah teacher, two ethnic minorities, one Hindu community people, one Buddhist person, one Christian person, one rickshaw puller, one male farmer, one female farmer, one garment worker, one ferry driver, one boatman, one metro-rail controller, one TTE, one loco master, one station master, one wayman, one bus driver, one hawker, one vegetable seller, one jute mill worker, one nurse, one day laborer, one district Ansar and VDP member, one VDP member, one policeman, one fire service official, one from scout, one from BNCC, one RAB member, one from railway police, one from Bangladesh army, one from navy, one from air force, one from BGB, one from coast guard and one from RNB.

The Prime Minister arrived at Bhanga Railway Station at 12.59pm while Awami League's central and district level leaders as well as government officials were seen welcoming her at the station. 

Sheikh Hasina opened the 82-km rail link from Dhaka to Bhanga of the 172-km new rail tracks being constructed from Dhaka to Jashore under the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project one and two months after she inaugurated the much anticipated the Padma Bridge, opening a new horizon for the progress of the country's southern region.

Marking the grand rally of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina here, the Dr Kazi Abu Yusuf Stadium has turned into a human sea as the people have been waiting with great enthusiasm since morning to welcome their beloved Prime Minister. 

The people were seen chanting different slogans in favour of the Awami League government and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. 

They expressed their gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for constructing the Padma Bridge and the rail link, putting an end to their longstanding suffering of communication. 

Though the Dhaka-Bhanga rail route has been inaugurated today, the commercial train service on the route will not launch immediately, rather the service will begin soon.

Earlier, on September 7, the trial run of a special train on the Dhaka-Bhanga route through the Padma Bridge was completed. 

On October 14 last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction work of the rail link between Dhaka and Jashore under the 'Padma Bridge Rail Link Construction Project' as the project cost is estimated at Taka 39,246.80 crore while Exim Bank of China is providing Taka 21,036.70 crore as loan.