India has dispatched the first 18 of 200 broad-gauge passenger coaches ordered by Bangladesh Railway, marking the start of deliveries under a Rs 915 crore deal expected to be completed by December 2027.
The first batch of coaches was dispatched from India's Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala, according to RITES Limited, the export arm of Indian Railways.
The shipment includes four of the seven types of coaches covered by the contract: 11 non-air-conditioned Shovon chair cars, three air-conditioned chair cars, two air-conditioned sleeper coaches and two air-conditioned power cars. The power cars have separate rooms for guards and dedicated luggage space.
RITES announced the dispatch in a post on social media platform X, describing it as another milestone in the company's export operations.
The coaches feature specially designed reclining chairs with stainless steel armrests and footrests to improve passenger comfort. Other facilities include fans in air-conditioned coaches, closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance, a passenger alarm system, partially openable windows, a baby care room and a prayer room.
The manufacturers have also strengthened the roof structures to withstand additional loads under Bangladesh's specific operating conditions, where passengers sometimes travel on train rooftops during peak periods.
The electrical systems have been adapted to Bangladesh Railway's requirements. While Indian Railways coaches generally use a 750-volt power system, the coaches supplied to Bangladesh are designed to operate on 415 volts.
The European Investment Bank is financing the project, under which Bangladesh Railway will receive the new coaches between October 2026 and December 2027. The additions are expected to help modernise the country's ageing passenger train fleet.
RCF and Bangladesh Railway have a history of cooperation. RCF supplied 120 Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) broad-gauge passenger coaches to Bangladesh during the 2015-16 fiscal year.
Building on that cooperation, Bangladesh Railway placed another order through RITES in 2024 for 200 broad-gauge passenger coaches in seven variants.
RITES, a public-sector engineering and consultancy company under India's Ministry of Railways, has more than five decades of experience in transport infrastructure and exports railway products and services to more than 55 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.