A recent feasibility study conducted by the Bangladesh Railway found that a direct train line between Laksam and Fatullah can shorten the time for Dhaka-Chittagong journey to three hours whereas it takes six to seven hours now.

Three major railway bridges over Meghna, Gumti and Shitalakhya rivers will have to be constructed for the purpose.

Setting up of a new direct line between Laksam in Comilla and Fatullah in Narayanganj would cost $499 million while the total cost for modifying the entire system would be around $1.1 billion, said the feasibility study report.

The new line would reduce the distance of the Dhaka-Chittagong route to 230 kilometres from existing 310 kilometres and it will have dual gauge line -- a combination of metre gauge and broad gauge system, a high official of Bangladesh Railway (BR) said, adding that a train will be able to run at over 100 kilometres per hour on the new line.

Under the project, the cost for developing the route between Dhaka and Fatullah would be $78 million, Fatullah-Narayanganj $30 million, Laksam-Chinki Astana $122 million, Chinki Astana-Chittagong $158 million and Fouzdarhat-Chittagong port $26 million.

According to the project proposal, the BR will also have to procure modern engines, coaches and other materials for carrying heavy containers that would cost $201 million.

The new project would be much more viable and cost effective than introducing electric train service using the existing rail line that goes via Gazipur and Brahmanbaria districts, the feasibility study report said.

The immediate past BNP-led four-party government had taken an initiative to introduce electric train service on the route to reduce the journey time.

At the end of last month, Bangladesh Railway made a power point presentation before the Communications Adviser MA Matin who verbally gave consent to the project, the source said.

Now the final project proposal would be submitted to the ministry of communications for preliminary approval and it would be placed before the advisory council meeting for final approval, railway officials said.

The major donor agencies World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Japan Bank of International Cooperation have shown interest in financing the project, sources said.

The World Bank has examined the study report and a team led by its Dhaka mission chief visited the proposed chord line alignment between Laksam and Fatullah last month, sources said.

The feasibility study that began in May 2006 and ended on March 15, 2007 aimed at investigating options for capacity enhancement of the Dhaka-Chittagong railway and recommending a preferred option that is technically feasible, economically viable, socially responsible and environmentally sound.

The current Bangladesh Railway network was established during the British rule. Two separate operational systems were developed -- broad gauge mainly in the west of Jamuna River and metre gauge mainly in its east. That time the focal point for west portion was Kolkata and for east portion it was Chittagong keeping in view Assam and north-eastern Indian states. Then the links to Dhaka were not major considerations.

After the independence, the previous rail network failed to suit new national requirement as the Dhaka--Chittagong rail link via Tongi, Bhairab Bazar, Akhaura and Laksam is a circuitous one.

Developing a shorter train line between Dhaka and Chittagong has been a long time necessity but none of the previous governments paid proper attention in this regard.

If the journey time reduces by half on the route, the number of train passengers will increase several times, and it will contribute to the railway's earnings, BR sources said.