Bangladesh Finalises 81km Elevated Rail Link to Cumilla

The government has finalised a decision to construct an 81-kilometre elevated rail corridor from Dhaka and Shyampur to Cumilla, according to Prime Minister’s Adviser on Information and Broadcasting Dr Zahed Ur Rahman. The proposed project is expected to reduce the Dhaka–Chattogram rail distance by about 80 kilometres and cut travel time by around 1.5 to two hours. Its preliminary estimated cost is Tk 83,901 crore.

Zahed Ur Rahman disclosed the decision at a press briefing at the Secretariat on Tuesday, October 13, on progress in various government activities. He said the entire proposed 81-kilometre railway line from Dhaka to Cumilla would be elevated. A final decision on the project had been taken at the highest level, he added.

According to the adviser, building the entire route on an elevated structure would save approximately 322 acres of land. The preliminary plan estimates that construction will take four years after land acquisition.

Measures to monitor LPG supply

The adviser also said several measures were being taken through deputy commissioners to maintain normal LPG supply and distribution. The measures were being coordinated through Zoom meetings.

Deputy commissioners have been instructed to prepare comprehensive lists of all LPG distributors and dealers operating within their respective jurisdictions. They must also collect information on the quantities of LPG that franchisees and master distributors receive from the relevant operators. Instructions have been issued to ensure that the information is submitted on time and includes sufficient details to identify the parties involved.

Zahed Ur Rahman said deputy commissioners would immediately hold meetings with LPG distributors and dealers in their respective districts. The meetings would review the actual state of local supply and distribution.

He added that information must be collected by tracing the entire LPG supply chain. Authorities have been asked to identify the parties involved at every stage to develop a clear picture of the complete distribution process.

If significant discrepancies emerge between information provided by operators, franchisees and distributors and information collected from dealers in the field, district administrations will identify those discrepancies separately.

Any unusual shortage in LPG supply, deviation in the distribution channel or significant mismatch in the quantity supplied from operators to dealers must be reported to the Energy Division and other relevant parties, the adviser said. District administrations will also take legal action if LPG is sold above the prescribed price.

Acknowledging some instability in the energy market, Zahed Ur Rahman described LPG as an essential household commodity and a basic necessity. He expressed hope that the current crisis would pass.

Government response to reported harassment abroad

During the same press briefing, Zahed Ur Rahman responded to questions about former chief adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus and reports that he had faced an attempt at harassment at an airport in the United States.

The adviser said Yunus was currently in the United States and that an attempt had been made to harass him at the airport. He said the attempt was believed to be linked to Yunus taking responsibility for the state after Sheikh Hasina left the country.

Zahed Ur Rahman said the activities of Yunus’s government could be subject to legitimate criticism and that Yunus himself had criticised those activities while in Bangladesh. However, he said, harassment of this kind was unacceptable.

He also said similar conduct had been attempted against an important government minister—a state minister—and that an actress who had expressed solidarity with the July uprising had also faced harassment. Various people associated with movements during the interim government had faced similar situations, he added. The government views these incidents as acts of Awami League terrorism, according to the adviser.

He said legal proceedings had begun over the incident involving the actress and that the government would take necessary steps regarding Yunus’s case as well. The government would examine whether there had been any shortcomings in security and state arrangements for Yunus in the United States, given the Very Very Important Person (VVIP) status he should receive as a former chief adviser.

Zahed Ur Rahman warned that attempts by Awami League members living abroad to engage in such activities would not be left unchallenged. The government would take necessary measures in response to such incidents, he said.

Government says it wants Sheikh Hasina to return

Asked whether Sheikh Hasina might return to Bangladesh in December, Zahed Ur Rahman said the government wanted her to return.

He said she had been tried and sentenced in a crimes-against-humanity case to ensure justice. Bangladesh had requested India to hand her over, he added.

The adviser said the government would have no problem if Hasina returned in December. Rather, it wanted the allegations against her to be dealt with through Bangladesh’s judicial system. He added that the government was prepared to bring her back.

Media coverage and legal boundaries

A journalist asked whether the Information and Broadcasting Ministry was monitoring how some Bangladeshi media outlets report incidents involving people associated with the July uprising or the interim government who face harassment. The journalist said some reports appeared to frame such incidents as if the people concerned deserved the treatment they received.

In response, Zahed Ur Rahman said it was important to consider whether particular conduct constituted a criminal offence. He acknowledged that the ministry was aware of the framing used by some media outlets and said monitoring such matters was part of its responsibilities. However, he added, what the ministry should do based on that monitoring was a separate and important question.

He said the ministry monitored whether criticism of Yunus’s actions and the way he was portrayed remained within legal boundaries.

At the same time, he said every media outlet had room to interpret events from its own perspective. However, he believed attempts to promote highly unusual or unreasonable interpretations would ultimately be rejected. In his view, such framing did not necessarily bring significant benefits.

Zahed Ur Rahman added that if a media outlet crossed legal boundaries, an affected person could seek legal recourse. The country’s judiciary, he said, was available to address such matters.

//DBTech/JNO/GEPR/SVP/MIST//