Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday launched a new train service between Dhaka and Chittagong. 
New train Sonar Bangla Express will take 5 hours and 40 minutes to cover the distance between the capital and the southeastern port city.
The prime minister flagged off the service at Dhaka’s Kamalapur Railway Station yesterday, when she inaugurated Bangladesh Railway’s acquiring of 270 new coaches procured by assistance from India and the Asian Development Bank.
Sonar Bangla Express will be the second nonstop train on this route. The first one, Subarna Express, started operating in April 1998.
Now, Sonar Bangla Express will take the number of trains running on Dhaka-Chittagong route to nine.
Apart from Subarna, the others are Turna Nishitha Express, Mohanagar Goduli, Mohanagar Provati, Dhaka Mail, Chittagong Mail, Karnaphuli Express and Chattala Express.
The new service will start from Dhaka at 7am and arrive in Chittagong at approximately 12:40pm, every day except for Saturdays. 
On its way back, it will start from the port city at 5pm and reach the capital at approximately 10:40pm.
Yesterday, Hasina also inaugurated the new U-loop at Dhaka’s Khilgaon flyover.
The prime minister spoke about having bullet trains and an underground system in future.
Recalling her recent visit to Japan, she asked, “I will we have high-speed bullet train like theirs. Those days are not far. We will be able to do it in Bangladesh.”
Referring to an underground railway feasibility study, she said: “We will also be able to launch an underground railway system in future.”
About the Indian loan for Bangladesh, she said most of the credit was being used for the railway.
Both governments have approved 14 projects at $736mn so far, said the prime minister. India gave $1bn in this line of credit in 2010.
“The Indian government has also cleared $2bn more. Three more projects have been taken up with this money,” she said.
Hasina said one of the goals of her Awami League government was to set up rail lines across the country.
“No work is tough. The residents of Barisal have not seen railways. We will set up railway lines there too,” she said.
The Awami League government has taken up 55 new railways projects with 628.9bn taka since it took charge in 2009. As many as 45 projects have also been reviewed.