The first train of the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project (PBRLP), carrying Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, departed from a station on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka on Tuesday, marking the formal opening of the first section of the largest railway in the country.

The PBRLP, a significant project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Bangladesh, was built by the China Railway Group Limited (CREC) and funded by the Export-Import Bank of China. The first section of the railway link is about 80 kilometers long and runs from Dhaka to Bhanga.

"It is the day of fulfilling the dream to cross the Padma River by train. We have a target to link Bangladesh's railway with the trans-Asian railway, and we are working to this end," said Hasina at the inauguration ceremony held before the train journey began. 

After the ceremony, Hasina boarded the special train with a ticket to Bhanga in Faridpur. 

The PBRLP employed over 10,000 locals at the peak of its construction and also trained over 20,000 railway construction workers for Bangladesh. 

"Thanks to this project, I can now work in my hometown. As a Bangladeshi, I am really proud to be involved in such a big project," said a local worker. 

"I have been working here for the last five years. From the beginning of the project, I've been working with our Chinese team. I have been learning a lot of things from the Chinese, Chinese culture, Chinese work procedure, and China's working system," said another Bangladeshi worker. 

The entire 172-km project, which will lead to Jashore eventually in the southwestern region of Bangladesh, is scheduled for completion in 2024. 

It will serve as a vital channel that connects Dhaka and more than 20 districts in the southern area of Bangladesh. It will also be an important part of the trans-Asian railway network to promote regional connectivity and economic development of Bangladesh.