A proposed high-speed railway would connect Dhaka and Chattogram, but the project has not yet moved into implementation.
Its projected cost is about Tk930 billion to Tk970 billion, and the high cost has been identified as a reason it remains unimplemented.
The proposed line is estimated to be about 225 to 231 kilometres long, compared with a current rail route of roughly 321 kilometres.
Planning assumptions envisage a maximum train speed of 300 kilometres per hour and a Dhaka–Chattogram journey of 55 to 75 minutes.
China Railway Design Corporation participated in feasibility-study and design work for the proposal.
Bangladesh–China annual trade is estimated at about US$24 billion.
Bangladesh is estimated to export US$1 billion to US$1.3 billion in goods to China each year while importing more than US$22 billion to US$23 billion.
That leaves an estimated annual trade deficit of roughly US$21 billion to US$22 billion for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh receives duty-free access to China for about 98 percent of products under its least-developed-country status, though exports remain comparatively low.
Chinese companies’ declared and ongoing investments in Bangladesh are estimated at more than US$7 billion, including activity in power, transport, infrastructure, industrial zones and manufacturing.
Moinul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said Chattogram’s port, industrial activity and surrounding development potential are increasing its importance to Bangladesh–China economic ties.
Islam said investment linked to export-oriented production and technology transfer could help expand jobs, foreign-exchange earnings and Bangladesh’s exports to China.