Navaron-Satkhira rail line: Bangladesh seeks loan from China

The government is planning to construct a rail line from Navaron in Jashore to Munshiganj in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira. The government has sought a loan from China for the implementation of this project.

Under the ‘Construction of New BG Track Form Navaron to Satkhira’ project, a loan of Tk 1,329.69 crore is expected from China. The total cost of the project has been estimated at Tk 1,662.24 crore. Of this, government funding is Tk 332.44 crore.

The project will be constructed within 2024. The total length of the railway from Navaron to Munshiganj is 98.42 km.
It is being included in the list of new projects without allocation in the annual development programme for the fiscal year 2020-21.

There will be eight stations from Navaron to Munshiganj. These are Navaron, Bagachra, Kalaroa, Satkhira, Parulia, Kaliganj, Shyamnagar and Munshiganj. The distance from Navaron to Bagachra station will be 12.4 km, from Bagachra to Kalaroa 12.68 km, from Kalaroa to Satkhira 14.23 km, from Satkhira to Parulia 15.11 km, from Parulia to Kaliganj 18.37 km, from Kaliganj to Shyamnagar 13.82 km and from Shyamnagar is Munshiganj station 11.81 km.

ANM Azizul Haque, joint chief of the Ministry of Railways, said the project has been undertaken to strengthen the country's communications system with the Sundarbans. If the rail line is constructed from Navaron to Munshiganj via Satkhira, the area will be economically strong.