A mega Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) railway that traverses the China-built Padma Bridge in Bangladesh is set for inauguration in October.

The railway is expected to significantly promote regional connectivity and the economic development of Bangladesh. 

The Bangladeshi government on Thursday launched the first train on a major part of the newly-constructed mega BRI rail line across the Padma Bridge.

The 172-km railway over the bridge is one of the most significant projects under construction by China Railway Group Limited (CREC) and is funded by the Export-Import Bank of China.

The BRI was proposed by China in 2013 to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa on and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

Trial run for rail tracks

Ahead of the grand opening, Bangladesh Railway conducted a trial run on the newly laid rail tracks from Dhaka's central Kamalapur Railway Station.

The special train carried Bangladeshi Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan, senior officials, lawmakers, politicians and journalists, among others.

Sujan, who flagged off the trial run, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would inaugurate the train service on the Dhaka-Bhanga route on October 10.

CREC workers welcomed the train waving mini-flags of Bangladesh and China and setting off fireworks when the train was passing a station near the Padma Bridge.

Thousands of people gathered on both sides of the rail line as it entered the lower deck of the double-decked Padma Bridge, which carries a highway on the top deck.

The Padma Bridge

The 6.15-km Padma Bridge is located about 40 km southwest of Dhaka. The largest of its kind in Bangladesh, the bridge was built by the China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group.

The full length of the Padma Bridge rail link, which will lead up to Jashore in the southwestern region of Bangladesh, is 172 km and the railway is scheduled to be completed in 2024.

Director General of Bangladesh Railway Md Kamrul Ahsan said the trial run had been conducted using new coaches imported from China.

One hundred new coaches, with a designed speed of 120 km per hour, have been procured from CRRC Tangshan Co.

The history of crossing the mighty Padma River between dozens of districts in southern Bangladesh and the capital of Dhaka only by ferries or boats ended in June last year when the bridge was opened to traffic.

(With input from Xinhua)