The first batch comprises 11 non-air-conditioned Shovan chair cars, three air-conditioned chair cars, two air-conditioned sleeper coaches and two air-conditioned power cars equipped with a guard room and luggage accommodation
TBS Report
14 October, 2026, 08:30 am
Last modified: 14 October, 2026, 08:33 am
Indian Railways has exported its first batch of 18 broad-gauge Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) passenger coaches to Bangladesh Railway under a contract to supply 200 coaches, according to the information provided.
The coaches were dispatched on 12 October 2026 from the Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala, Punjab, and exported through RITES Ltd, a Navratna public sector enterprise, says Times of India.
The first batch comprises 11 non-air-conditioned Shovan chair cars, three air-conditioned chair cars, two air-conditioned sleeper coaches and two air-conditioned power cars equipped with a guard room and luggage accommodation.
The wider contract, placed by Bangladesh Railway through RITES in 2024, covers 200 broad-gauge passenger coaches across seven variants.
The coaches feature adjustable reclining seats with stainless steel armrests and footrests, a dedicated baby care room and a prayer room. They are also equipped with an integrated closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance system, a passenger alarm system, fans inside air-conditioned coaches and partially openable windows.
RCF has introduced several technical modifications to meet Bangladesh Railway's operational requirements. The coaches have been designed to operate on a 415-volt electrical system, compared with the standard 750-volt system used on Indian Railways.
Their roofs have also been reinforced to support the additional weight of passengers travelling on top of the coaches during peak periods.
The coaches are designed to meet European Standard EN 15227 collision-safety requirements, with a redesigned body shell intended to absorb impact during collisions and protect passengers.
The RCF-Bangladesh Railway partnership began in 2015-2016, when the Indian factory supplied 120 LHB broad-gauge passenger coaches to Bangladesh.
RITES has exported more than 280 locomotives and 1,085 passenger coaches and Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) trainsets to more than 55 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, South America and West Asia.