Dhaka: A new pair of trains named “Ovijatri Commuter” commenced operations on the Dhaka-Gopalganj-Dhaka route via the Padma Bridge from Monday, aiming to establish an efficient commuter network between the capital and its neighboring districts. Railway Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam inaugurated the service at Dhaka Railway Station (Kamalapur) on Monday afternoon.

According to United News of Bangladesh, the minister highlighted that the new service was launched within 180 days of his taking charge, despite constraints in passenger coaches and locomotives. This was achieved through efficient resource management aimed at both building a commuter network around Dhaka and expanding intercity rail services. The minister expressed hope that the train would enable office-goers, students, businesspeople, and general commuters from Gopalganj and the areas along the route to travel to Dhaka daily at low cost and reliably, and return to their localities after office hours. This, he stated, would help discourage the tendency of permanent migration to the capital and ease the existing pressure on Dhaka’s housing, traffic, and urban services.

Rabiul further mentioned that the service would create opportunities to transport vegetables, agricultural produce, fish, and other locally grown goods from Gopalganj and its surrounding areas to Dhaka’s markets quickly and at a comparatively lower cost. This would invigorate the local economy and benefit both producers and consumers.

According to railway officials, train no. 135 Ovijatri Commuter departs Dhaka at 3:30 pm for Gopalganj, arriving there at 6:45 pm, while train no. 136 will leave Gopalganj at 7:15 pm and reach Dhaka at 10:25 pm. The train features eight coaches with a total of 630 seats. On the 148-kilometer Dhaka-Gopalganj route, it will make stops at seven stations – Keraniganj, Srinagar, Mawa, Bhanga Junction, Nagarkanda, Maheshpur, and Kashiani Junction. The service will remain off every Saturday.