Passenger train services will commence on the Khulna-Mongla route this Saturday, as confirmed by Khulna Mongla Port Railway Project Chief Engineer Ahmed Hossain Masum. The Betna Express will make its way to Mongla via Phultala between 11am and 11:30am, marking the official opening of train services on this route.

Necessary preparations, including hiring permanent staff, have been completed to launch passenger trains. The Betna Express, which runs from Khulna to Benapole via Jessore, will extend its route from Phultala Junction to Mongla, being renamed the "Mongla Commuter." This will be the only train on the new route.

The train schedule includes departures from Khulna at 6:15am, arriving in Benapole at 8:30am, and reaching Mongla at 12:35pm. On its return from Mongla, it will depart at 1pm and reach Benapole by 4:30pm, with service closed on Tuesdays.

The Khulna-Mongla railway project, initiated in 2010 and approved by the National Economic Council Executive Committee (Ecnec), has been implemented in three phases. The project includes 86.87km of railway track, a 5.13km bridge over the Rupsa River, nine platforms, 107 small bridges, and nine underpasses. Initially estimated at Tk1,721 crore, the project's final cost stood at Tk4,260.88 crore.

The new train services will enhance transportation facilities, allowing quick and cost-effective goods transport through Mongla Port. This marks the first time in 73 years that Mongla, Bangladesh's second-largest seaport, will be connected by rail. The railway line was inaugurated virtually by Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi on November 1, 2023.