Pakistan Eastern Railway


The Pakistan Eastern Railway was one of two divisions of Pakistan Railways which operated between 1961 and 1971. The company was headquartered in Chittagong. With the emergence of Bangladesh, it became Bangladesh Railway.

History

When Pakistan gained its independence from Britain in 1947, the Assam Bengal Railway was split between Pakistan and India. Approximately 2603.92 kilometres of rail track fell within East Bengal's territory in Pakistan. The railway was then renamed to Eastern Bengal Railway, under control of the federal government. On 1 February 1961, the Eastern Bengal Railway was renamed to the Pakistan Eastern Railway and in the following year, control of Pakistan Eastern Railway was transferred from the Federal government to the Government of East Pakistan. It was placed under the management of the Pakistan Eastern Railways Board with the effect from the financial year 1962-63 by Presidential Order of 9 June 1962. From 1950 to 1955, the Mashriq–Maghreb Express operated from Koh-e-Taftan in West Pakistan to Chittagong in East Pakistan, using Indian railway track and rolling stock for a 1986 km journey between Attari and Benapole.

Successors

With Bangladesh becoming independent in 1971, the Pakistan Eastern Railway renamed itself to Bangladesh Railway.