Two years after being shut down due to the spread of the pandemic on March 28, 2020, passenger trains operating between India and Bangladesh returned on Sunday. India Bangladesh train resumed its services by launching the Bandhan Express setting off from Kolkata to Khulna as well as the Maitree Express starting its run from Dhaka towards Kolkata. A third train Mitali Express will soon be flagged by the Railways ministers of both nations.
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Bandhan Express was resumed by restarting an old rail line that ran between Kolkata and Khulna, which is the third-largest town in Bangladesh. The route in 1965 was operated with the Barisal Express, which was shut down due to the Pakistan-India conflict. In 2017, the Narendra Modi government and the regime of Sheikh Hasina regime reopened the route through Bandhan express in the year 2017.
India Bangladesh Train Service Restarted After Closure
Indian Railways is determined to make a strong comeback announcing its different near-term survival plans strategizing on new plans, operationalizing new trains, reviving old rail routes services, and extending corridors to improve on financial gains.
This time steps have been taken to inaugurate a 55-year-old Rail Route between India’s Haldibari Railway Station in Haldibari town in Cooch Behar district located in the state of West Bengal and Bangladesh’s Chilahati, a border Station situated in Niphamari district in Ranpur Division of the Country. The Haldibari-Chilahati rail route was used to serve the part of Broad Gauge Main Route from Kolkata to Siliguri but had suffered a cut-off long back in the war of 1965.
It will not only boost the trade & commerce between the business players of the two nations but also help citizens connect with each other for strengthening the relationship, economic developments, and employment creation in the entire region. The two states to be benefitted most from the rail link revival are expected to be Assam and West Bengal.
Suggested read: Enjoy Authentic Bengali Dishes on Train
Old India Bangladesh Train Routes
Find out the old India Bangladesh train routes on which Indian Railways are working currently for garnering profits through its cross borders trades and communications:
| Sr. No. | Rail Link in India (From) | Rail Link in Bangladesh (To) |
| 1 | Halidibari | Chilahati |
| 2 | Petrapole | Benapole |
| 3 | Gede | Darshana |
| 4 | Singhabad | Rohanpur |
| 5 | Radhikapur | Birol |
| 6 | Agartala | Akhaura |
India Bangladesh Partnership
India and Bangladesh have been working closely for the betterment of their citizens through partnerships, deals, and new projects. They are the bright spot in the recession times. Both the countries are growing economies in South Asia and their recent partnership through Indian Railways is being speculated to meet the key strategic objectives as follows:
- The Inter-Nation Rail link will facilitate the movement of goods and cargo and initiate the development of infrastructure.
- The Inter-Nation Rail link will facilitate the operations of container and parcel trains and help both countries to lead in new and emerging markets.
- The Inter-Nation Rail link will increase the GDP per capita of the two nations faster.
- The Inter-Nation Rail link will enhance cooperation in the arena of ICT and Artificial Intelligence.
- The Inter-Nation Rail link will enhance cross-border trade and commerce opportunities with increased communication and frequent travel.
Presently the two nations are seen finalizing the protocols for the movement of passengers and cargo similar to Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicle Agreement Act cross-border meeting held in February 2020 in New Delhi for the regulation of passenger, personal and Cargo vehicular movement across these four nations.
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