Indian Railways Supplies Coaches to Bangladesh Railway

Key facts

• Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala rolled out the first rake of 19 Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) broad gauge passenger coaches for Bangladesh Railway.
• The rake comprises three AC sleeper coaches, three AC chair cars, 11 non-AC chair cars, and two power cars.
• RCF had previously supplied 120 LHB broad gauge coaches to Bangladesh Railway in 2015-16.
• In 2024, Bangladesh Railway placed an order through RITES for 200 broad gauge passenger coaches across seven variants.
• The coaches feature reclining seats with stainless steel armrests and footrests, fans in AC coaches, integrated CCTV surveillance, a passenger alarm system, partially openable windows, a Baby Care Room, and a Prayer Room.
• The coach roofs are reinforced to withstand additional load from passengers travelling on the roof during heavy traffic.
• The coaches adopt a crashworthy design compliant with European Standard EN 15227.
• The coaches are equipped with a customised electrical system operating on 415 V instead of the conventional 750 V used in Indian Railways coaches.