The Akhaura–Kulaura–Chhatak line is a railway line connecting Akhaura and Chhatak, via Kulaura in Bangladesh. This line is under the jurisdiction of Bangladesh Railway
History
[edit]In response to the demands of the Assam tea planters for a railway link to Chittagong port, Assam Bengal Railway started construction of a railway track on the eastern side of Bengal in 1891. A 150 kilometres (93 mi) track between Chittagong and Comilla was opened to traffic in 1895. The Comilla–Akhaura–Kulaura–Badarpur section was opened in 1896–98 and extended to Lumding by 1903.[1][2][3]
The Kulaura-Sylhet section was opened 1912–15, the Shaistaganj-Habiganj branch line in 1928, the Shaistaganj–Balla branch line in 1929 and the Sylhet–Chhatak Bazar line in 1954.[4]
A metre gauge link exists between Shahbajpur in Bangladesh and Mahisasan in India.[5]
Trains
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Sylhet_Railway.jpg/250px-Sylhet_Railway.jpg)
There are several direct trains between Dhaka and Sylhet, such as Parabot, Jointika and Upbon. The one-way journey takes a little over seven hours.[6] There also are trains to Chittagong from Sylhet.[7]
The new railway station at Sylhet was opened in 2004. A.K. Rafique Uddin Ahmed, representing Engineering and Planning Consultants Ltd., was the chief architect of the project.[8]
Nearby places
[edit]Madhabkunda waterfall is a 3 km (1.9 mi) rickshaw ride from Dakshinbag railway station. It is also accessible from Sylhet and Srimangal.[7]
Tamabil-Dawki road border-crossing across the Bangladesh–India border is 55 km (34 mi) north of Sylhet.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ Fida, Quazi Abul (2012). "Railway". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
- ^ Report on the Administration of North East India. Mittal Publications. 1984. p. 46.
- ^ S.N.Singh; Amarendra Narain; Purnendu Kumar. Socio Economic and Political Problems of Tea Garden Workers: A Study of Assam, Published 2006, ISBN 81-8324-098-4. Mittal Publications, New Delhi. p. 105. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
- ^ "Brief History". Bangladesh Railway. Archived from the original on 20 December 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
- ^ "Geography – International". IRFCA. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
- ^ "Nazimgarh Resorts". Archived from the original on 20 November 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
- ^ a b c Stuart Butler (2008). Bangladesh. Lonely Planet. p. 150. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
- ^ "New Sylhet Railway Station will provide modern amenities". News from Bangladesh, 3 September 2004. Retrieved 16 December 2011.