Special mango train on Chapainawabganj-Dhaka route likely from May 25

The West Zone of Bangladesh Railway is going to launch a “special mango train” on Chapainawabganj-Dhaka route via Rajshahi from May 25 next for the second consecutive time.

“We have taken the decision of transporting mango to Dhaka from this mango producing area for the benefit of the growers and traders,” Nasir Uddin, divisional commercial manager of the zone, said, illustrating aspects of the decision.

He said the initiative has also been taken to transport mangoes at a lower cost for welfare of the mango traders and farmers amid the Covid-19 pandemic situation.

The train will depart from Chapainawabganj at 4.30 pm, while from Rajshahi station at 5.50pm and will reach Dhaka at 2am.

The cargo train will carry a maximum 150 tons of mangoes in five wagons every day. So, farmers and traders can transport goods at their will. It will cost Tk 1.17 to carry a kilogram of mango to Dhaka from Rajshahi, and Tk 1.30 from Chapainawabganj to Dhaka.

Nasir Uddin clarified that transport of mangoes in the special train would cost Tk 1,117 per ton whereas courier services cost Tk 20,000 per ton and private trucks cost around Tk 2,000 a ton.

The train will make a stoppage for loading mangoes at 14 stations on the Chapainawabgonj-Dhaka railway route via Rajshahi. The parcel train may have stoppages at other stations based on parcel booking and unloading.

In addition to mangoes, there is provision of carrying all kinds of vegetables, seasonal fruits, eggs and other agricultural products at a lower cost in the special train, he added.

The railway porters will conduct all sorts of the loading and unloading works of the goods. To this end, the porters were imparted need-based training on how to handle the goods from booking to loading as well to unloading properly.

Last year, the Mango Special Train was launched for the first time in the wake of growers’ transportation problems amid the Covid-19 pandemic. “We have earned Tk 9.30 lakh revenue by transporting 857 tons of mangoes, lychees and other agricultural products,” Nasir Uddin added.

Officials said mango was cultivated on 26,150 hectares of areas in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts where it’s expected to yield 2,44,000 ton of mangoes this year.

Mango groves were also nurtured on 12,671 hectares of land in Naogaon district where the target was fixed to produce 1,61,242 tons of mangoes while in Natore district is expected to produce 56,021 tons of mangoes on 4,823 hectares of land.