Indian firm faces allegation of using substandard railway sleepers
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Splash
    • Videos
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Monday
August 08, 2022

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Splash
    • Videos
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
MONDAY, AUGUST 08, 2022
Indian firm faces allegation of using substandard railway sleepers

Infrastructure

Saifuddin Saif
12 October, 2019, 10:40 am
Last modified: 12 October, 2019, 12:05 pm

Related News

  • Irregularities in train ticket sales: HC stays Tk2 lakh fine on Shohoz 
  • 2,500 tonnes of rice enter Bangladesh from India’s Karnataka by train
  • Bangladesh's deadliest train accidents in recent times
  • Mirsharai accident: Gateman sued, district admin pays for burials
  • Kolkata port to undertake 4 trial runs before using Ctg, Mongla ports

Indian firm faces allegation of using substandard railway sleepers

Indian Railway Construction Company is yet to remove the sleepers from the 65-kilometer Khulna-Mongla broad-gauge railway project

Saifuddin Saif
12 October, 2019, 10:40 am
Last modified: 12 October, 2019, 12:05 pm

Bangladesh Railway (BR) authority alleged that Indian Railway Construction Company (IRCON) use substandard railway sleepers on the 65-kilometer Khulna-Mongla broad-gauge railway project. An agreement was signed between Bangladesh Railway and IRCON International Limited in 2010.

According to BR sources, despite allegations of anomaly, the Indian company does not remove the sleepers from the rail tracks and trying to sell those to be used in other projects.

The Khulna-Mongla Railway Construction Project, which is believed to benefit both India and Bangladesh in transporting goods to and from Mongla port,  is set to be costlier as most of the work is yet to be completed. The railway project along with Rupsha Railway Bridge is unlikely to meet the February, 2020 deadline following the allegation, said railway source.

The project was initiated in April 2013 by Bangladesh Railway with funding from India under Line of Credit (LoC) to improve road communication between Bangladesh and neighbouring countries, and was scheduled to be completed by 2018. In the second revision, the deadline has been extended to 2020. Bangladesh is also financing part of the cost.

About 1,35,771 sleepers are set to be used in the in the construction work. But the railway authority found some of the sleepers with poor quality and asked the Indian company to remove them from the project site. But, IRCON International is not paying heed to the allegation, BR officials said.

Indian Railway Construction Company has been asked to remove defective railway sleepers from the construction project site and to bear all the expenses in this regard, according to a recent report of Bangladesh Railway.

If needed the substandard sleepers can be marked with red colour and stocked those seperately, said the report.

Ramjan Ali, project director of the Khulna-Mongla Railway Construction Project, told The Business Standard that IRCON has brought 4800 sleepers in several lots. BR authority have found some of the sleepers with poor quality after testing the standard of the items.  All the sleepers will be tested and only standard quality sleepers will be used in the construction work.

He said that when Bangladesh railway put pressure on the Indian company to remove the sleepers from the project site they then sought intervention from Indian High Commission.

"If those sleepers are used the railway line will be damaged in a short time and the risk of accident will be increased", the project director said. 

Officials of IRCON International did not respond as text message through email was sent to them.

Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam, former adviser for Finance and Planning to the caretaker government, said Bangladesh does not have control in bringing products through bilateral agreement. The quality of the product should be ensured if the railway authority can examine the products in India before arrival of those in Bangladesh. 

Harun-or-Rashid, general manager (West) of Bangladesh Railway, told The Business Standard that Bangladesh has taken decision to install pre-stressed concrete sleeper in all railway lines as the country is on the way to turn all metre-gauge rail lines into broad-gauge. For this sleepers with quality is important. A quality railway sleeper can sustain up to 50 years.

The sleepers which brought by India will not be used if it does not match with our quality standard, he said.  

According to BR sources, railway has submitted allegation in this regard to Indian High Commission through prime minister's office and Economic Relations Department (ERD). But, no result.

Former governor of Bangladesh Bank Dr Farasuddin said, "Several sections should be checked carefully before signing any agreement. Otherwise, there is a chance to enter low quality products. At this, country has to pay the price and the misuse of state wealth has taken place."

As per agreement, directives were given to bring manpower and machinery to the project site, but the Indian company pass one year in this regard. During this time several attempts were taken to make the Indian side to start the work but those went into vein.

The authorities gave appointment of many unskilled sub-contractors paying a little amount of money. As a result, the construction work is getting delayed, according to a report of Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) of planning ministry.

IRCON International changes multiple times over the duration of the project. Most of the work of the project is supposed to be completed by June 2019.

The project was initially delayed for not getting Indian Exim Bank's approval timely and land acquisition-related problem.

The revised project witnesses a 120% hike in cost; it was originally estimated at Tk1721.39 crore when first approved by the Ecnec in December 2010. The government will provide Tk519 crore for the project while Tk1202 crore will come from the Indian loan.

According to the agreement, 75 percent products and service to be used in the project have to be brought from India and the contractors should also be Indian national. 

Bangladesh / Infograph / Top News

Bangladesh-India / Bangladesh Railway

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • TBS file photo
    Now 99% Bangladesh products come under China’s duty-free offer
  • Photo: TBS
    Production loss feared as zone-wise industrial weekly closure mulled 
  • Representational image. File Photo: Minhaj Uddin/TBS
    LC settlement fell by $1.17b in July

MOST VIEWED

  • The authority can choose certain hours on a given day in a week, when the bridge or parts of it on both ends will be available to interested walkers. PHOTO: MUMIT M
    Padma Bridge toll collection exceeds Tk100 crore mark
  • First consignment of Bangabandhu Rail Bridge machinery reaches Mongla port
    First consignment of Bangabandhu Rail Bridge machinery reaches Mongla port
  • Incumbent govt has improved capability of Chattogram port: Home Minister
    Incumbent govt has improved capability of Chattogram port: Home Minister
  • Photo: Collected
    Eviction drive starts to free Sitakunda hill
  • Housing projects sprouting up by Dhaka-Mawa expressway
    Housing projects sprouting up by Dhaka-Mawa expressway
  • The two swimming pools in Chattogram’s UN Park in Panchlaish residential area await demolition as the authorities have planned building a garden there. The photo was taken recently. Photo: TBS
    Nobody has ever swum in Tk4cr swimming pools

Related News

  • Irregularities in train ticket sales: HC stays Tk2 lakh fine on Shohoz 
  • 2,500 tonnes of rice enter Bangladesh from India’s Karnataka by train
  • Bangladesh's deadliest train accidents in recent times
  • Mirsharai accident: Gateman sued, district admin pays for burials
  • Kolkata port to undertake 4 trial runs before using Ctg, Mongla ports

Features

Safa Shareef’s bridal make-up: Contemporary with a ‘deshi’ touch

Safa Shareef’s bridal make-up: Contemporary with a ‘deshi’ touch

13h | Mode
Infograph: TBS

Why a drastic fuel price hike is dangerous

1d | Panorama
A fuel price hike to fuel agony

A fuel price hike to fuel agony

1d | Panorama
Kamal Uddin Mazumder. Sketch: TBS

Rising foreign debt and balance of payments deficit: Does Bangladesh need to worry?

1d | Thoughts

More Videos from TBS

How Google Maps operates in Bangladesh

How Google Maps operates in Bangladesh

3h | Videos
Is BPC really in loss?

Is BPC really in loss?

5h | Videos
Reasons behind Putin-Erdogan's meeting in Sochi

Reasons behind Putin-Erdogan's meeting in Sochi

9h | Videos
Dr Jamaluddin Ahmed talks about recent fuel price hike

Dr Jamaluddin Ahmed talks about recent fuel price hike

9h | Videos

Most Read

1
Diesel price hiked by Tk34 per litre, Octane by Tk46
Energy

Diesel price hiked by Tk34 per litre, Octane by Tk46

2
July remittance hits two-year high
Economy

July remittance hits two-year high

3
5,400 Bangladeshis get work visas to Romania
Migration

5,400 Bangladeshis get work visas to Romania

4
Housing projects sprouting up by Dhaka-Mawa expressway
Real Estate

Housing projects sprouting up by Dhaka-Mawa expressway

5
How banks made millions from volatile dollar 
Banking

How banks made millions from volatile dollar 

6
Infographic: TBS
Banking

Dollar rate will be left to market after two months: Governor

EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2022
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net