Bangladesh Railway (BR) is set to receive 10 locomotives from India on grant through a ceremony at Darsana-Gede interchange point on Monday.
BR officials from Pakshi railway division will receive the locomotives from Indian officials during the ceremony. Railway and foreign ministers of both countries will join the event.
The locomotives would facilitate railway's broad gauge passenger carriage and cargo movement amid growing demand of services.
BR officials said Indian commitment to grant 10 broad gauge locomotives came in line with the initiatives taken during Bangladesh Prime Minister’s visit to India to take lease or hire a number of locomotives from India to overcome its crisis for locomotives.
Later, a minister-level meeting of between the two countries was held in New Delhi on August 6, 2019.
The meeting discussed different aspects of cooperation in the railway sector including supply of locomotives to BR as trade and business between the two countries have also been thriving.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between Bangladesh Railway and Indian Railway July 21.
BR officials said all these locomotives were commissioned during 2012 and 2015.
The state-owned train operator has been facing problems of locomotives since long as its majority engines were aged old nearing to closing to end economic life.
Although the BR has taken several projects to purchase locomotives, 70 locomotives are likely to arrive from the US and South Korea next year.
smunima@yahoo.com