Indian Railways Supplies Coaches to Bangladesh Railway

The Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala, Punjab, rolled out the first rake of Linke Hofmann Busch broad gauge passenger coaches for Bangladesh Railway on 12 August 2026. The 19-coach rake is part of a 2024 export contract for 200 broad gauge passenger coaches across seven variants, with financing linked to the European Investment Bank.

India-Bangladesh Rail Coach Cooperation

Rail Coach Factory supplied 120 passenger coaches to Bangladesh during 2015–2016. The 2026 delivery resumed Indian passenger coach exports to Bangladesh after a gap of about ten years.

Composition of the First Rake

The first rake has three AC sleeper cars, three AC chair cars, 11 non-AC chair cars, and two power cars. Some early reports mentioned a 20-coach rake, but the Ministry of Railways clarified the initial batch as 19 coaches.

Technical Features of the Coaches

The coaches include a Prayer Room, a Baby Care Room, integrated CCTV surveillance, a passenger alarm system, and reclining passenger seats. The roof structures were strengthened for roof travel conditions seen during peak traffic periods in Bangladesh.

Safety and Electrical Standards

The trainset body shells were redesigned to meet European Standard EN 15227 crashworthiness standards. The coaches use a 415 V electrical system, while conventional Indian Railways coach systems commonly use 750 V.

RITES Limited and the Export Contract

RITES Limited is a public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Railways. The export deal is valued at ₹915 crore and covers 200 broad gauge passenger coaches in seven variants.

Important Facts for Exams

• Linke Hofmann Busch, or LHB, coaches are known for stainless steel or aluminium construction and improved crashworthiness in Indian Railways applications.
• Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, is one of the major coach manufacturing units under Indian Railways.
• EN 15227 is a European crashworthiness standard used for railway rolling stock safety design.
• RITES Limited is a transport consultancy and engineering organisation under the Ministry of Railways.

Broad Gauge and Passenger Coach Exports

Broad gauge in India has a track gauge of 1,676 mm. Passenger coach exports from India have included supply contracts to neighbouring railway systems in South Asia.