Durgapur to join country's railway network, ending 110-year wait

Durgapur upazila in Netrokona district is on the verge of realizing a 110-year-old dream as the government initiates plans to connect the region to the national rail network. 

The prospect of rail connectivity alongside existing road routes has sparked widespread celebration across the upazila, with locals describing the news as an early Eid gift.

To advance the project, Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal is scheduled to visit the area on Wednesday (May 13). He will lead a high-level delegation to inspect the proposed extension of the railway line from Jaria-Jhanjail to Durgapur. 

The delegation includes State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid, Railway Secretary Mohammad Fahimul Islam, and the Director General of Bangladesh Railway, Mohammad Afzal Hossain.

The expansion was a key campaign pledge for the Netrokona-1 (Durgapur-Kalmakanda) constituency during the 13th National Parliamentary Election. Residents believe the project will be a catalyst for economic transformation, facilitating better access to education, boosting tourism, and driving industrialization in the northern Netrokona region.

Local community leaders and elders have expressed profound emotion regarding the initiative. Cultural activist Bireswar Chakraborty noted that the rail link would bring radical changes to the area, while indigenous leader Anjan Chicham highlighted that the project would create thousands of jobs for the local population.

Durgapur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Ahmed Sadat welcomed the move, stating that the introduction of rail services will establish Durgapur as a new economic zone. 

Officials believe the expansion will fulfill a century-long demand, significantly improving the quality of life for the people of this frontier region.