India-Bangladesh train service to resume April 14

Dhaka: After a break of 43 years, passenger train service between India and Bangladesh will resume April 14 as rail officials of the two neighbours in South Asia concluded their two-day discussions here Thursday.

The train will be running between Kolkata, capital of eastern Indian state of West Bengal, and Bangladesh's capital Dhaka.

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The train service was stopped during the India-Pakistan war in 1965 when Bangladesh was the erstwhile East Pakistan. It gained independence in the liberation war in 1971.

After the talks, R.N. Varma, additional member (traffic) of the Indian Railway Board, who led the Indian delegation to the talks, told reporters that they had detailed discussions, including on customs and immigration.

Head of Bangladeshi team A.T.K.M. Ismail, additional secretary of Bangladesh's communication ministry, said that the two sides resolved all unsettled issues relating to the commissioning of the Dhaka-Kolkata passenger train service.

"There is no obstacle in running the much-awaited Dhaka-Kolkata Moitree (Friendship) Express on the first day of the Bengali New Year that falls April 14," he said.

Ismail also said an agreement on the commissioning of the train service would be signed by the two countries before April 14.

As per the agreement, a train with a capacity of 418 passengers would run every Saturday from Dhaka while the Indian train with a capacity of 366 passengers would run from Kolkata every Sunday.

The tariffs of the journey have also been decided during the meeting. It would cost $20 for the first class and $10 for the second class.
Source: IANS