Padma Bridge Rail Link Project: All sleepers to be made in Faridpur

Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan yesterday inaugurated a factory at Faridpur's Bhanga, which will supply sleepers for Padma Bridge Rail Link Project (PBRLP).

China Railway Group Limited (CREC), the construction contractor of the project, set up the factory to supply more than 3.7 lakh sleepers for the rail line.

"Sleepers are being produced here maintaining quality using machines," the minister told reporters after visiting the factory. CREC has brought technology and machines from China, he said. "We will decide upon consultation with CREC whether the factory can be used for producing sleepers for Bangladesh Railway after completion of the project."

BR is implementing PBRLP to connect the capital with Jashore with a 169km rail line for Tk 39,246 crore, with Exim Bank of China providing Tk 21,036.70 crore as loan. CREC built the factory on BR's land and will have to pay rent for it, a BR official said. However, the rent-related issues have not been settled yet, he said wishing not to named.

Wang Kun, project director for CREC, said they have set up the factory to dispel uncertainty over global procurement of sleepers amid pandemic, and to produce slippers quickly maintaining quality.

Around 200 locals were given training for the works and the factory will be able to produce up to 500 sleepers daily.

The factory started producing sleepers from August on a limited scale, and the railways minister yesterday formally inaugurated it.