The Ministry of Railways has formed a high-powered investigation committee to review the draft specifications for purchasing 30 metre-gauge locomotives for Bangladesh Railway.

The committee will be led by Dr Sheikh Moinuddin, special assistant to the chief adviser, who is assigned to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges and the Ministry of Railways.

The additional director general (Rolling Stock) of Bangladesh Railway will serve as the member secretary, said a press release.

Other members include the director general of Bangladesh Railway, the managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), and a professor from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).

The committee also has the authority to co-opt additional members if needed, the release said.

The locomotive procurement is part of the ongoing “Conversion of Chattogram–Dohazari Metre-Gauge Railway Track into Dual-Gauge” project.

Bangladesh Railway has already prepared a draft specification for the purchase, but it has recently faced negative discussions on social media, which caught the ministry’s attention.

To ensure an open and competitive tender process, the ministry tasked the committee with thoroughly reviewing the draft specifications, considering factors such as locomotive performance, modern technology, fuel efficiency, spare parts availability, international acceptance, and suitability for Bangladesh’s environment.

The committee must submit a comprehensive report to the Ministry of Railways within 15 working days.