Akhaura–Kulaura–Chhatak line
Lawachara National Park Akhaura–Kulaura–Chhatak Railroad
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Bangladesh Railway
Locale	Bangladesh
Termini	Akhaura Chhatak
Stations	Active 38 Inactive 18 Total 56
Website	www.railway.gov.bd
Service
Operator(s)	Eastern Railway, Bangladesh
History
Opened	• Akhaura–Kulaura–Shahbajpur: 1896–98, • Kulaura–Sylhet: 1912–15, • Habiganj Bazar–Shaistaganj–Balla: 1928–29, • Sylhet–Chhatak: 1954
Technical
Number of tracks	2/ 1 ?
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Route map Akhaura–Kulaura–Chhatak line Chhatak Bazar Afzalbad Satpur Halt Khazanchigaon Sylhet Muglabazar Fenchuganj Railway Bridge Fenchuganj Maijgaon Bhatara Bazar Baramchal Sakapan Lumding–Sabroom section   Mahisasan India Bangladesh Border Shahbajpur Muraul Baralekha Khataltali Dakkhinbhaug Dhami Juree Kulaura Junction Longla Tilagaon Muno Shamsarnagar Bhanugach Dhalai River   Sreemangal Satgaon Rashidpur Satiajuri Laskarpur Khowai Railway Bridge Barkota Sakir Muhammed Sutang Bazar Chunarughat Amu Road Assampara Balla (Habiganj) Shaistaganj Junction Habiganj Bazar Habiganj Court Dhuliakhal Paikpara Sutang Shahajibazar Chhatian Nuapara Itakhula Taliapara Shahpur Montola Khasimnagar Harashpur Mukundapur Marasani Singerbil Ahazampur Tongi–Bhairab– Ahazampur Bypass Connection line Tongi–Bhairab– Akhaura line Akhaura Junction Akhaura–Laksam– Chittagong line Source: Bangladesh Railway Map

The Akhaura–Kulaura–Chhatak line is a railway line connecting Akhaura and Chhatak, via Kulaura in Bangladesh. This line is under the jurisdiction of Bangladesh Railway

History

In response to the demands of the Assam tea planters for a railway link to Chittagong port, Assam Bengal Railway started construction of a railway track on the eastern side of Bengal in 1891. A 150 kilometres (93 mi) track between Chittagong and Comilla was opened to traffic in 1895. The Comilla–Akhaura–Kulaura–Badarpur section was opened in 1896–98 and extended to Lumding by 1903.^[1][2][3]

The Kulaura-Sylhet section was opened 1912–15, the Shaistaganj-Habiganj branch line in 1928, the Shaistaganj–Balla branch line in 1929 and the Sylhet–Chhatak Bazar line in 1954.^[4]

A metre gauge link exists between Shahbajpur in Bangladesh and Mahisasan in India.^[5]

Trains

Sylhet railway station

There are several direct trains between Dhaka and Sylhet, such as Parabot, Jointika and Upbon. The one-way journey takes a little over seven hours.^[6] There also are trains to Chittagong from Sylhet.^[7]

The new railway station at Sylhet was opened in 2004. A.K. Rafique Uddin Ahmed, representing Engineering and Planning Consultants Ltd., was the chief architect of the project.^[8]

Nearby places

Madhabkunda waterfall is a 3 km (1.9 mi) rickshaw ride from Dakshinbag railway station. It is also accessible from Sylhet and Srimangal.^[7]

Tamabil-Dawki road border-crossing across the Bangladesh–India border is 55 km (34 mi) north of Sylhet.^[7]

References