A once-thriving rail line spanning 24 kilometers along the Teesta River bank in Gaibandha has been abandoned for years. Weeds now sprawl across it, and it has fallen victim to rampant encroachments and looting, leaving state assets worth crores in disrepair.
The Teestamukh-Balasighat railway corridor, which was once a prominent name for residents on both banks of the Brahmaputra, has remained devoid of railway ferries and train services for approximately 33 years.
Bharatkhali station and the Balasi-Trimohini railway line, situated in the northern region, have been neglected for years, resulting in substantial losses, including encroachments on railway land, theft of wooden sleepers, rails, and valuable components.
Numerous families have constructed homes along the railway lines, resulting to disappear its look. Consequently, railway authorities made the difficult decision to close Tistamukh railway station, Bharatkhali station, Balasighat railway station, and Kanchipara railway station.
Historical records from the Gaibandha railway station reveal that the water route was initiated during the British era in 1938, connecting Tistamukh Ghat in Phulchari Upazila of Gaibandha to Bahadurabad Ghat in Jamalpur. This entailed establishing a new 12-kilometer railway line with an additional railway track (yard line) from Bonarpara station in Saghata Upazila of the Santahar-Lalmonirhat railway route to Tistamukh Ghat. This railway link played a pivotal role in connecting Dhaka and Dinajpur. Passengers from eight northern districts would board trains to reach Tistamukh Ghat, cross the river by ferry on the Tistamukh Ghat-Bahadurabad route, and continue their journey to Dhaka. This route substantially reduced travel time between Dhaka and the northern districts by two to three hours.
In 1990, the Tistamukh Ghat was relocated from Phulchhari Upazila to Balasi within the same upazila due to changes in river navigability. Since then, the railway has been left abandoned for nearly three decades.
Simultaneously, a new 12-kilometer railway line was constructed from Trimohini station near Gaibandha to Balasi Ghat, involving an expenditure of approximately Tk 30 crore. This line-maintained rail connectivity through the Balasi-Bahadurabad route until 1996 when railway ferry services on this route ceased due to declining navigability of the Brahmaputra River.
In June 1998, the Jamuna multi-purpose bridge was inaugurated, further leading to the cessation of railway ferry services on this route in 2000. However, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority initiated launch services on this route. Since then, the Trimohini-Balasi railway has languished in neglect for approximately 23 years, resulting in the abandonment of nearly 24 kilometers of railway track on both lines.
Recent observations on Tuesday revealed that many sections of these two railways lack wooden sleepers, with some decaying due to inadequate maintenance. Most railway lines are buried underground, while others are obscured by forests. Vital components such as fishplates, nut-bolts, and sleepers are conspicuously absent. Large sections of railway tracks have been pilfered, particularly in the Kanchipara, Madhyakanchipara, Balasi, and Bonarpara Tistamukh Railway areas, as well as Ghazaria and Ulla Bharatkhali sections of the Trimohini-Balasi railway.
The maintenance responsibility for these two railways in Gaibandha falls under the jurisdiction of Bangladesh Railway's Bonarpara Senior Assistant Engineer's office, which is part of the Lalmonirhat Division of Railways.
Majedul Islam, Senior Assistant Engineer (Additional Duty) at this office, mentioned that there is a security guard overseeing the Bonarpara-Tistamukh Ghat railway, and investigations are underway to determine how thefts continue to occur.
Efforts were made to contact the security guard, Tajul Islam, but he remained unavailable for comment. Deputy Assistant Engineer Majedul Islam revealed that a proposal has been forwarded to the Rajshahi West region of the Railways to either close the Trimohani-Balasi railway or undertake its removal. The fate of the railway remains uncertain, with the extent of stolen resources yet to be determined.
