First Railway Station in Bangladesh

Jagati Railway Station in Kushtia

The story of the first railway station in Bangladesh

The first railway station in Bangladesh has been running for about 160 years. On 15 November 1862, the first train ran in what is now Bangladesh and stopped at Jagati Railway Station in Kushtia. It is 3 km away from Kushtia city.

The British built this railway station in the world of Kushtia.


The two-story station building was built with red bricks. Now, of course, this heritage-adorned station building is a kind of abandonment. 

No one went upstairs for many years due to cracks in the building. 

The waiting room, which was set up for the convenience of passengers a long time ago, has also collapsed. 

Again, the bricks of the platform are broken, and the masonry is eroded. 

Two large overhead water tanks were built on either side of the platform to supply water to the steam engine, which had long since been abandoned. 

In these two tanks, water was pumped from the ground by pumps running on coal engines at that time.

Jagati Railway Station in Kushtia

On 16 April 1853, the first passenger steam locomotive, built by a company called Peninsular Railway, set sail for the Indian subcontinent. 

The journey from Boribunder in Mumbai to Thane covered a distance of 34 km with 400 passengers. 

The following year, in 1854, the first railway in Bengal was started with the introduction of the 38 km railway from Howrah to Hooghly in West Bengal. 

Then on 29 September 1862, the Eastern Bengal Railway launched a broad gauge (5 feet 6 inches) railway from Sealdah in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, to Ranaghat.




The railway line from Sealdah to Ranaghat was extended in the same year to 53.11 km in the present Kushtia district (formerly Nadia). 

Then on 15 November 1862, the train started running from Sealdah in Calcutta to Jagati in Kushtia. 

The train came directly from the Gede-West Darshan border of West Bengal to Jagati, 3 km away from the present Kushtia district town.




When I searched about a year ago, there were only five officers and employees at this station. 

Among them were a station master, three poets, and a gateman. According to them, 12-13 more posts have been vacant for a long time. 

Talking to a few elderly people in the area, it is known that they have seen 20-22 employees busy day and night in their childhood. 

Jagati Bazaar has been built along with the railway station, and there are a few shops there.




There are still occasional freight trains carrying coal and stones from India. 

Once there was a lot of land in the station, but now there is not much land left. 

The first station on the territory of Bangladesh has passed one by one over 156 years. 

Although this station, which is gradually being canceled due to carelessness and neglect, is not profitable for the Ministry of Railways to provide railway services, historically, Jagati station has been very important. So its maintenance is also important.

Railway History in Bangladesh

The history of railways in Bangladesh is a journey of over 160 years, evolving from a colonial tool for transporting raw materials to the backbone of modern national connectivity. The history can be divided into four distinct eras: --- ### 1. The British Era (1862–1947): The Beginning The British introduced railways in Bengal primarily to transport jute and tea from the hinterlands to the ports (Kolkata and Chittagong) and for military strategic movements. * **First Track (1862):** The first railway line in what is now Bangladesh was opened on **November 15, 1862**. It ran from **Darshana to Jagati** (in Kushtia district). It was 53.11 km long and operated by the Eastern Bengal Railway (EBR). * **Expansion in the East (1885):** The Dhaka State Railway opened a line between **Narayanganj and Dhaka** to transport goods to the river port. * **Assam Bengal Railway (1895):** To serve the tea industry, a track was laid between **Chittagong and Comilla**. By 1904, this extended all the way to Assam. * **The Gauge Divide:** This era created a unique geographical problem. The western side of the Jamuna River mostly used **Broad Gauge** (to connect with Kolkata), while the eastern side (Dhaka/Chittagong) used **Metre Gauge**. This "dual gauge" issue remains a challenge today. ### 2. The Pakistan Era (1947–1971): Fragmentation Following the partition of India in 1947, the railway network was split. * **Eastern Bengal Railway (EBR):** The portion of the network that fell within East Pakistan was renamed the Eastern Bengal Railway. * **Pakistan Eastern Railway (PER):** In 1961, it was renamed the Pakistan Eastern Railway. * **Challenges:** The network became isolated from its previous hub, Kolkata. The government focused more on the railway in West Pakistan, leading to a period of relative stagnation in the East, though some new lines (like the Narsingdi–Madanganj line) were added. ### 3. Post-Independence Era (1971–1990s): Recovery The 1971 Liberation War saw massive destruction of the railway infrastructure. * **Damage:** Over 300 bridges (including the famous Hardinge Bridge) and hundreds of kilometers of track were destroyed by the retreating Pakistani army. * **Reconstruction:** With international help, the newly formed **Bangladesh Railway (BR)** restored the network within a few years. * **Institutional Shift:** In 1982, the Railway Board was abolished, and the railway was brought under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Communications (Railway Division). ### 4. The Modern Era (1998–Present): Integration and Mega Projects For decades, the Jamuna River split the country's rail network into two disconnected halves (East and West). The modern era has focused on unification and high-speed connectivity. * **The Jamuna Bridge (1998):** The opening of the Bangabandhu Multipurpose Bridge was a turning point. For the first time, a rail link connected the East and West zones, though the gauge difference still required "Dual Gauge" tracks. * **Ministry of Railways (2011):** Recognizing its importance, the government created a dedicated Ministry of Railways to fast-track development. * **The "Golden Age" of Expansion (2010s–2020s):** * **Padma Bridge Rail Link (2023):** Perhaps the most significant project, connecting Dhaka to the southwest (Jessore/Khulna) directly, cutting travel time by hours. * **Cox’s Bazar Link (2023):** For the first time in history, the tourist hub of Cox’s Bazar was connected to the national rail network. * **Dhaka Metro Rail (2022):** While technically an urban rapid transit system, the launch of MRT Line 6 marked the beginning of high-tech electrified rail in Bangladesh. * **Akhaura-Agartala Link:** A move to restore cross-border "Trans-Asian Railway" connectivity with India. --- ### Current Status and Key Facts * **Total Length:** Approximately 3,100 km. * **Two Zones:** Bangladesh Railway is divided into **East Zone** (Headquarters: Chittagong) and **West Zone** (Headquarters: Rajshahi). * **Gauge System:** Bangladesh is one of the few countries still operating three gauges: Broad Gauge, Metre Gauge, and Dual Gauge. * **International Connectivity:** There are currently several active interchanges with India, including the *Maitree Express* (Dhaka-Kolkata), *Bandhan Express* (Khulna-Kolkata), and *Mitali Express* (Dhaka-New Jalpaiguri). ### Challenges Despite its growth, Bangladesh Railway faces hurdles: 1. **Old Rolling Stock:** Many engines and coaches are past their economic life. 2. **Single Tracks:** Most of the network is still single-track, causing delays and "crossings." 3. **Governance:** Operational losses and the need for better digital ticketing and management systems. **Conclusion:** From a colonial freight line to a modern symbol of national unity, the railway in Bangladesh has survived wars and geographic barriers. With the recent completion of the Padma Bridge link and the Cox's Bazar line, the railway is currently experiencing its most rapid expansion since the British era.