Kolkata: A new passenger train service between Dhaka and New Jalpaiguri is set to start from 26th of March marking the 50th Anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh. According to an official release by the Bangladesh Rail Ministry, the direct train between Dhaka and New Jalpaiguri will run through the Chilahati-Haldibari cross border rail route. However, other details like the schedule of the train, fair and immigration and its name will be decided later through discussion between the officials of the two countries.
There are two passenger trains currently running between Bangladesh and India. The Maitree Express runs between Dhaka and Kolkata and Bandhan Express links Khulna with Kolkata.
At present, five rail routes connect Bangladesh and India namely Petrapole-Benapole, Gede-Darshana, Singhabad-Rohanpur Radhikapur-Birol and Haldibari-Chilahati.
The Haldibari-Chilahati train route was opened in December last year for the operation of the goods train after a gap of 55 years during the virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The passenger train will also run on the same route.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are expected to flag off the new passenger train on the occasion of the Birth Centenary Celebration of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib and 50 years of Liberation of Bangladesh on this day.
