Train services on the Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar route were suspended after heavy rainfall submerged sections of track, and the state minister for railway announced on Wednesday that the century-old Sholoshohor–Dohazari line would be raised by up to five feet as part of a long-term response.

State Minister Habibur Rashid told reporters that water rose 15 to 21 inches above the rails in some areas following torrential rain and hill runoff, exceeding the five-to-six-inch threshold at which trains can safely operate.

Services were halted for the safety of passengers and rolling stock, the state minister said after inspecting a flooded stretch at Shamsher Para between the Sholoshohor and Jan Ali Hat section aboard a railcar earlier in the morning.

“Chattogram has recorded its highest rainfall in four decades. The line went under one to two feet of water in places,” Rashid said. He added that passengers holding tickets for Dhaka–Cox’s Bazar trains would be able to travel to Chattogram on the same ticket, with the unused portion refunded in accordance with railway rules.

The state minister announced that to mitigate future disruption, the government plans to raise the 47 km Chattogram–Dohazari line by approximately five feet. The tender process has already begun, he said. Once the work is complete, trains will be able to operate even if water levels rise by up to three feet.

Rashid also disclosed that a feasibility study is underway for a new chord line on the Dhaka–Chattogram route. If built, it would cut the distance from Narayanganj to Cumilla by about 80 km and save roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes in travel time. New projects would include adequate allocations for locomotives and carriages, he said. Modernisation of the railway through solar energy and electric vehicles was also continuing, he added.

The state minister also issued a stern warning over encroachment on canals and water bodies in Mirsarai and other parts of Chattogram, which he said had compounded drainage problems across the rail network. “The government is working to reclaim rivers and canals. Those involved in illegal encroachment will be evicted through coordinated action across all ministries and no one will be spared,” he said.