Bangladesh Eyes Procurement of Railway Wagons and Coaches from Pakistan

This development follows a high-level visit by a Bangladeshi delegation to Pakistan’s premier railway manufacturing facilities, including the Mughalpura Workshop in Lahore and the Carriage Factory in Islamabad, to evaluate their technical capabilities and production standards.

The delegation was led by Farhad Islam, Bangladesh’s Secretary for International Organizations and Consular Affairs, accompanied by the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan, Mohammad Iqbal Hussain Khan. During the visit, Pakistan Railways officials highlighted that their locally manufactured rolling stock is already being exported to several countries, including Chile, Argentina, and Sri Lanka. They offered to supply high-quality coaches to Bangladesh at prices significantly more competitive than those available in the current international market.

Following the inspection, the Bangladeshi diplomats praised the technical expertise and professional competence of Pakistan Railways, describing the visit as a testament to the strengthening bonds of friendship between the two nations. This move marks the first significant commercial engagement in the railway sector between Dhaka and Islamabad since the 1980s. Experts suggest that such a deal could substantially reduce procurement costs for Bangladesh Railway while fostering deeper institutional links and bilateral cooperation in the transport sector.