Bangladesh
Chinese DEMU Trains Bangladesh Railways incurring loss of Tk 654 crore as China-manufactured DEMU trains go out of order
Dhaka, September 22: Bangladesh Railway purchased 20 sets of DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit) trains from China in 2013 at a cost of Tk 654 crore to increase the quality of passenger service. The lifespan of these trains was 30 years. However, after only eight years, 17 sets of these trains are now out of order. Bangladesh Railway is not able to operate these trains due to lack of necessary equipment from China. Moreover, the three moving trains are also getting damaged from time to time. As a result, the Railways are forced to compensate the passengers.
According to railway sources, on April 24, 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated two sets of trains imported from China on the Kamalapur-Narayanganj route. Then Dhaka-Tongi, Dhaka-Joydebpur, Joydebpur-Mymensingh, Sylhet-Akhaura, Kamalapur-Akhaura, Chittagong-Comilla, Noakhali-Laksam, Laksam-Chandpur, Chittagong-Nazirhat, Parbatipur-Lalmonirhat, Parbatipur-Panchag .
In the last eight years, 17 sets of imported DEMU trains have turned into wreckage. But these trains bought from China have completely new technology as per their demand. The lifespan of each train was 30 years. But a few days after the inauguration, the trains stumbled one by one.
According to a railway source, these trains are mainly for 'one time service'. That is why Chinese engineers are not able to do anything.
Recently, Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan said that the decision to buy a Chinese-made DEMU trains was not right in the context of Bangladesh. This situation is caused by some policy error.
Senior railway officials said the trains have two locomotives on either side and a bogie in the middle. Passengers can be carried in the engine part as well as in the bogie. Each bogie can accommodate 149 people sitting and 151 people standing.
According to the accounting department of the railway, from 2013 to June this 2021, the railway has earned about Tk 30 crore by transporting passengers through DEMU. But almost the same amount of money has been spent on running the trains (fuel and staff salaries). But the money that was spent to buy this train at a cost of Tk 654 crore has gone completely. With that amount of money, 120 AC bogies of ordinary train could be bought. Each AC bogie earns an average of Tk 2.5 crore a year.
