Rail transport system (and, operations) preserves exclusive domain of Bangladesh Railway (BR). Limited private sector participation in ticketing and maintenance also includes. The role of rail transport in the country’s overall transportation system erodes over the past years, largely explains by the sector’s losing competitiveness to the road transport sector.

The railway network in the country is divided by the Jamuna River into two zones, East and West. The present route network is about 2,881 km., including meter gauge (MG) 1302 km. in the East zone (45%); and MG 553 km., broad gauge (BG) 660 km. and dual gauge (DG) 365 km. in the West zone (55%).

The track network is 4,443 km., including MG 1889 km. in the East zone (42%), MG 888 km., BG 1276 km. and DG 390 km. in the West zone (48%).

The route network increases 23 km. and track route only 5 km. in the last 35 years. The network integrates 19 former (large) districts. Other 2 districts, namely, Barisal and Patuakhali not integrates due to lack of land connectivity.