| Box Width: | 28em |
| Akhaura–Kulaura–Chhatak line | |
| Status: | Operational |
| Locale: | Bangladesh |
| Start: | Akhaura |
| End: | Chhatak |
| Stations: | Active 38Inactive 18Total 56 |
| Open: | • Akhaura–Kulaura–Shahbajpur: 1896–98,• Kulaura–Sylhet: 1912–15,• Habiganj Bazar–Shaistaganj–Balla: 1928–29,• Sylhet–Chhatak: 1954 |
| Owner: | Bangladesh Railway |
| Operator: | Eastern Railway, Bangladesh |
| Tracks: | 2/ 1 ? |
| Map State: | collapsed |
The Akhaura–Kulaura–Chhatak line is a railway line connecting Akhaura and Chhatak, via Kulaura in Bangladesh. This line is under the jurisdiction of Bangladesh Railway
In response to the demands of the Assam tea planters for a railway link to Chittagong port, Assam Bengal Railway started construction of a railway track on the eastern side of Bengal in 1891. A track between Chittagong and Comilla was opened to traffic in 1895. The Comilla–Akhaura–Kulaura–Badarpur section was opened in 1896–98 and extended to Lumding by 1903.[1] [2] [3]
The Kulaura-Sylhet section was opened 1912–15, the Shaistaganj-Habiganj branch line in 1928, the Shaistaganj–Balla branch line in 1929 and the Sylhet–Chhatak Bazar line in 1954.[4]
A metre gauge link exists between Shahbajpur in Bangladesh and Mahisasan in India.[5]
There are several direct trains between Dhaka and Sylhet, such as Parabot, Jointika and Upbon. The one-way journey takes a little over seven hours.[6] There also are trains to Chittagong from Sylhet.[7]
The new railway station at Sylhet was opened in 2004. A.K. Rafique Uddin Ahmed, representing Engineering and Planning Consultants Ltd., was the chief architect of the project.[8]
Madhabkunda waterfall is a 3km (02miles) rickshaw ride from Dakshinbag railway station. It is also accessible from Sylhet and Srimangal.[7]
Tamabil-Dawki road border-crossing across the Bangladesh–India border is 55km (34miles) north of Sylhet.[7]