A train set of up to 20 coaches is expected to be ready for export to Bangladesh next month, marking the first shipment since the political change in the country after the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, officials said.
India has already supplied Bangladesh Railways with 120 broad-gauge passenger coaches, 36 broad-gauge locomotives, and 10 metre-gauge locomotives in earlier phases of cooperation.
The current supply is being handled by RITES Limited, the export arm of Indian Railways, under a contract to deliver 200 broad-gauge passenger coaches to Bangladesh Railway. The Rs 915 crore project is financed by the European Investment Bank and was awarded in May 2024 through a global competitive bidding process.
Officials said the first rake under this contract will be ready in July, with coordination already underway for its handover. The coaches are being built at the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala, Punjab.
Along with manufacturing and supply, RITES is also providing design assistance, spare parts, and training support. The project includes a 36-month supply and commissioning phase, followed by a 24-month warranty period. It had slowed due to political changes in Bangladesh but has now resumed normal progress.
RITES Managing Director Rahul Mithal said the Bangladesh deliveries are expected to begin within the current financial year, which could help boost the company’s revenue going forward.
