Padma Rail Link Project: BR for change of China firm’s representative

Bangladesh Railway (BR) has asked the Chinese contractor of Padma Bridge Rail Link Project (PBRLP) to change the project's chief, claiming that his work pattern was causing problems in the project implementation.

Although the authorities of the PBRLP has recently wrote to the contractor -- China Railway Group Limited -- to change their "representative" Wang Kun, the issue was discussed at a meeting between Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan and Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Li Jiming yesterday.

The meeting was held at a time when the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is reviewing the negotiated costs and plans of three Chinese-linked railway projects.

"We mainly discussed how the costs of the said projects can be reduced. The Chinese ambassador also agreed to work on it," the minister told The Daily Star after the meeting.

Asked whether the issue regarding the contractor's representative was discussed in the meeting, he replied in the affirmative.

Replying to another question, Sujan said the Chinese ambassador told him that they would look into it, but it was a lengthy process.

The minister said there was no issues over the previous representative. Officials of railways and other project-related officials were complaining about not getting enough cooperation from the current representative, he added.

Wang Kun could not be contacted for comments.

The BR is implementing PBRLP to connect the capital with Jashore with a 169km rail line for Tk 39,246 crore, with Exim Bank of China providing Tk 21,036.70 crore as loan.

Apart from the minister, Railways Ministry Secretary Salim Reza, BR Director General Md Shamsuzzaman and officials involved in the projects took part in the virtual meeting from the Rail Bhaban in the capital.

REDUCING PROJECT COST

On September 30, the PMO formed a committee to review negotiated contract costs of three railways projects and whether those projects should go as per the existing plan. The projects were supposed to be implemented with Chinese finance and by Chinese companies.

Conversion of metre-gauge rail line into dual-gauge between Akhaura and Sylhet; construction of dual-gauge double line between Joydebpur and Ishwardi; and construction of dual-gauge double line between Joydebpur and Mymensingh and Jamalpur are the projects in question.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) has approved the first two projects, Chinese companies have been selected and contract costs have also been negotiated. However, final loan and commercial deals have not been signed yet.

Railways sources said the committee, led by Shamima Nargis of the physical infrastructure division of the Planning Commission, has already submitted its report, with recommendations on cutting a "significant amount" of the negotiated costs, and the PMO was now working on it.

The railways minister said there was a huge discussion on "high cost" of projects like Akhaura-Sylhet dual-gauge line and Joydebpur-Iswardi double line. "After taking charge of the ministry, I also came to know about this but could do little as those were already approved by the Ecnec."

But, as the PMO has taken an initiative to review the costs, he also discussed the matter with the Chinese ambassador, the minister said. "We talked about how the projects can be taken forward quickly."

The Ecnec in April last year had approved the project to convert the metre-gauge railway line into dual-gauge from Akhaura to Sylhet for over Tk 16,104 crore. The contract cost negotiated with China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co Ltd is Tk 12,079 crore.

The government took up a Tk 14,250 crore project in January last year to turn Joydebpur-Ishwardi section into a dual-gauge double line. It is scheduled to be completed by December 2024. The negotiated contract cost for this project is Tk 9,839 crore and the selected company is China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.

The tentative negotiated cost for constructing dual-gauge double line alongside the existing Joydebpur-Mymensingh-Jamalpur section is Tk 8,808 crore and the selected company is China Railway International Group.