Staff Correspondent

A staggering amount of Tk 10,000 crore spent on the Karnaphuli Tunnel has proven to be a wasted investment, said Mohammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Power, Energy, Mineral Resources, and Railways adviser said on Friday.

Speaking to the media after inspecting the Parbatipur Central Locomotive Factory in Dinajpur, the adviser criticised the previous government's handling of railway development, claiming that the vast financial resources allocated for the sector were largely squandered with little to show in terms of actual improvement in passenger services.

He pointed out that while the railway network had been expanded to several areas, including the construction of several unnecessary rail stations and lines in places like Gopalganj, these projects failed to address the real needs of passengers.

Many of these stations, he noted, were built in regions with no significant demand for rail service, leading to a waste of resources and a lack of meaningful improvements to the quality of service.

The Karnaphuli Tunnel, which cost Tk 10,000 crore to build, has similarly failed to live up to expectations. Despite its high price tag, Fouzul revealed that no vehicles currently operate through the tunnel, rendering it an underutilised and inefficient infrastructure project.

Furthermore, he highlighted that the lack of investment in acquiring locomotives and passenger wagons had compounded the issue, with the existing rolling stock left inoperable and unused.

The adviser assured that efforts would be made to revitalise the railway sector.

He stressed the importance of improving passenger services, coordinating developments across road, rail, and water transport, and addressing the acute manpower shortages within the railway system.

However, he conceded that acquiring locomotives and wagons would take time, but hoped that by repairing and restoring existing assets, passenger services could be improved in the short term.

Senior railway officials and employees were present at the time.