Garjans, Dipterocarptis spp., came into use
as sleepers in the railway tracks soon after
the partition of the British India in 1947 when
the sources of Sal, Sborea robusta Gaertn.,
the conventional species for the purpose, fell
outside the territories of the then East Pakistan.
At present about 5,00,000 sleepers are
required annually by the Bangladesh Railway,
mills and factories and marine and
river ports of the country and Garjan is the
only species for makings sleepers.