70 trains across Bangladesh are currently out of service due to a shortage of engines (locomotives) and coaches. Among them are 33 commuter trains, 21 local, 10 mixed, four mail, and two shuttle trains. Most of these routes were short to medium-distance services that helped people with their daily commute—especially low-income passengers. Railway officials say the suspension is mainly due to a lack of engines, coaches, and manpower.

One of the suspended services is the Uttarbanga Mail, which used to run between Santahar and Panchagarh. Train operations across the country were halted during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. While most services have since resumed, this one never came back. Locals say the train was the only affordable travel option for low-income and working-class people. Since it stopped, both their travel costs and daily struggles have gone up.

Train operations under Bangladesh Railway are divided into two zones—Eastern and Western. According to the railway authority, a total of 32 trains are currently suspended in the Eastern zone. These include two local trains on the Mymensingh–Dewanganj Bazar route, four local trains on the Mymensingh–Bhairab Bazar route, four local trains on the Sylhet–Chhatak Bazar route, two mail trains on the Akhaura–Sylhet route, two commuter trains on the Laksam–Chandpur route, two commuter trains on the Laksam–Noakhali route, six commuter trains on the Chattogram–Nazirhat route, four commuter trains on the Chattogram–University of Chattogram route, two commuter trains on the Dhaka–Hi-Tech City route, and four commuter trains on the Dhaka–Narayanganj route.

In the Western zone, one mixed train each has been suspended on the Goalanda–Ishwardi and Ishwardi–Rajbari routes. Additionally, one local train on the Rajbari–Goalonda Ghat route, two local trains on the Ishwardi–Parbatipur route, two mixed trains on the Parbatipur–Chilahati route, two shuttle trains on the Rajshahi–Chapainawabganj route, two commuter trains each on the Rajbari–Bhanga and Dhaka–Bhanga routes, two mail trains on the Santahar–Panchagarh route, two commuter trains each on the Parbatipur–Lalmonirhat and Parbatipur–Panchagarh routes, and two commuter trains each on the Lalmonirhat–Parbatipur and Rangpur–Lalmonirhat routes are also not running. Furthermore, one commuter train each has been suspended on the Kaunia–Ramna Bazar and Ramna Bazar–Rangpur routes.

Besides these, two local and two mixed trains each have been suspended on the Lalmonirhat–Parbatipur route, Parbatipur–Panchagarh route, and Lalmonirhat–Burimari route. Two local trains on the Santahar–Lalmonirhat route are also out of operation.

With these services down, everyday passengers are the ones suffering the most. Overcrowding is now the norm, and riding on rooftops has become a common, dangerous practice. At Rajshahi Railway Station, we met Farukuzzaman Khan, a passenger traveling to Natore. He said, “The Uttara Express has been out of service for almost a year. It used to be our only affordable option. Now we’re forced to pay more for alternative transport, which is a big burden.”

The ongoing shortage of engines, coaches, and manpower is one of the main reasons many trains across the country have been suspended. Even the official Railway Time Table Book No. 54 mentions that these services have been stopped for a long time due to a lack of engines and coaches. The trains will resume once new engines and coaches are available.

Abdul Awal Bhuiyan, General Manager of the Western Railway zone, explained, “The main reason behind the suspended trains is the shortage of engines and drivers. There’s also a manpower shortage. Still, we’ve launched a few new trains alongside the ones that are no longer running.”

Several railway officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, pointed out that Bangladesh Railway lacks a strong long-term strategic plan. Once a train is shut down, it becomes extremely difficult to bring it back into service. One key reason is that more than half of the engines in operation have already passed their expected economic lifespan. Some of them have been running for over 20 years.

To get the suspended trains back on track, officials agree that the first priority is to bring in new engines. Afzal Hossain, Director General of Bangladesh Railway, told Bonik Barta that steps are already being taken. “Nationwide, we currently need about 90 engines, including both meter-gauge and broad-gauge. A plan is in place to purchase new engines. In the first phase, we’ve initiated a project to buy 30 meter-gauge engines with funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB),” he said.

While the Director General focuses on solving the crisis through engine procurement, Railway Ministry’s Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan believes the bigger picture requires patience. “Railway development takes time. It’s not something that can be fixed in six months,” he told Bonik Barta. “We responded to public demand by launching two tourist trains for Cox’s Bazar. A new commuter service has been introduced from Joydebpur, and another on the Narsingdi–Dhaka route. We’ve also upgraded the commuter trains on the Narayanganj–Dhaka line. Now, we’re working with limited resources. Once we get new coaches and locomotives, we’ll be able to add more trains.”

(Report contributions by Shuvobrata Aman, Kushtia correspondent)