The Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City Railway Station in Kaliakoir, Gazipur, modeled after Dhaka’s iconic Kamlapur station, has become a symbol of inefficiency and wasteful expenditure. Built at a cost of nearly Tk 58 crore, the station now generates zero revenue, with passenger services completely halted for the past three and a half months due to the lack of train stoppages.
Despite operational expenses exceeding Tk 30 lakh annually, including salaries and maintenance, the station remains underutilized. It employs only a station master and a clerk, with no railway police or adequate support staff. This has led to rising concerns about security, with locals reporting drug abuse, crime, and the presence of vagrants and sex workers in the area. The station has also become a hotspot for TikTokers and YouTubers filming videos on the platform.
Constructed six years ago, just 100 yards from the Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City, the station was envisioned to serve over 10,000 passengers daily, primarily from Gazipur’s industrial area and northern regions. However, data from the past three years reveals an average daily usage of just 47 passengers. Initially, only one DEMU train operated, which ceased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Later, two local trains, Tangail Commuter and Sirajganj Express, stopped here sporadically but are now discontinued.
Station Master Md. Khairul Islam confirmed that although 40 trains pass through this route daily, none currently stop at the station. The absence of personnel, including railway police, adds to the operational challenges and security risks, particularly after dusk.
Critics argue that the station’s construction was part of a series of unnecessary projects initiated by the previous government, allegedly for profiteering. Without adequate planning and proper management, the station’s state-of-the-art infrastructure now stands as a glaring example of wasted public funds.
