Jayantika Express (718) of Dhaka-Sylhet-Dhaka route left Dhaka with the first luggage van at 11:30 am. Booking of 4,600 kg of goods is taken in the non-refrigerated luggage van of the departing train.
Railways has earned 10 thousand 212 taka for this goods transportation in passenger trains. The transport cost per kg has been estimated at 2 taka 22 poisha. The train left platform number 5 of Dhaka railway station at 11:20 am on Sunday.
Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan cut the ribbon and inaugurated the luggage van waving the green flag and allowed the train to leave. Before the inauguration, Nurul Islam Sujan said, based on the demand of the transport department of Bangladesh Railways, "Bangladesh Railway has financed Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded baggage for transporting green vegetables, seasonal fruits, flowers, other perishable products (fish, meat, milk), medicines and vaccines by rail".
Development Project Proposal (DPP) for procurement of 125 baggage vans (75 meter gauge and 50 broad gauge) along with other rolling stock (40 broad gauge locomotives, 580 meter gauge wagons and 420 broad gauge wagons) was held on June 26, 2018 to implement the plan to make a significant contribution to the economy of Bangladesh. A number of meetings were approved.
Later that year, two tenders were invited for the procurement of 75 meter gauge and 50 broad gauge luggage vans and two separate contracts were signed on 31 August 2020 with Bangladesh Railways and a Chinese supplier. The total contract value is Tk 358 crore 39 lakh (contract value of 75 meter gauge luggage vans is 183 crores 24 lakh and contract value of 50 broad gauge luggage vans is 175 crores 15 lakh).
The minister said that baggage vans will be added through scheduled intercity trains in the capital along with other divisional and district cities of the country (where a lot of vegetables, seasonal fruits, flowers and other perishable products like fish, meat, milk and milk products etc. are produced) in the remote areas. . Through this, farmers can market their produced products easily and will be benefitted financially. On the other hand, traders can easily supply agricultural products to the cities of the country. As a result, products will be readily available at fair prices. If this train is launched, the revenue of the railways will increase, which will contribute significantly to the economy of the country as a whole.
