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Download PDF The sunrise of the Bangla New Year 1415 today marks the reconnection of the two Bengals through rail service after a long break of 43 years.
Starting from Dhaka and Kolkata this morning, two trains, named “Moitree Express,” will reach the other city tonight in a fulfilment of the long wait for a direct passenger train service between the next-door neighbours.
Considering people’s enthusiasm, the Bangladesh authorities have added an additional compartment to the seven-compartment train, which leaves Cantonment Station at 8:30am.
Another train leaving Chitpur Station in Kolkata at 7:10am local time will reach Cantonment Station at around 8:30pm to be greeted by traditional Pahela Baishakh festivities.
“Considering public demand, we’ve decided to add an extra compartment to the train. We’ve also asked the officials to continue the sale of tickets till night,” ATKM Ismail, additional secretary of communications ministry, told The Daily Star at about 5:30pm yesterday. “Tickets for 425 seats have already been sold,” he added.
The train, which has the capacity of 418 passengers — 36 AC cabin, 80 AC chair and 302 Non-AC chair — in the seven compartments, will carry 80 passengers more in the added air-conditioned compartment.
Dhaka will be connected with Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, for the first time through rail link since Bangladesh’s independence.
The passenger train service between the two countries that was introduced during the British rule was snapped in March 1965 due to India-Pakistan war. Though governments of the two countries signed a five-year deal in 2001 to resume direct train service, it was not implemented.
On April 10, Bangladesh and India signed a supplementary agreement clearing the way for cross-border run of trains on the Dhaka-Kolkata route.
The two close neighbours are now ready to receive and welcome the guests and passengers of the inaugural trains. Government officials and distinguished personalities from both sides will be aboard the first trains. Fifty-six newsmen from Bangladesh are also travelling to Kolkata.
Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Quader will inaugurate the service at Cantonment Station at 7:45am today. Several other advisers of the caretaker government, foreign diplomats and chiefs of foreign donor agencies will also be present.
The Cantonment Station has been given a facelift on the occasion.
All necessary arrangements, including security and immigration measures, have also been completed ahead of the formal run of Moitree Express.
Apart from the communications adviser, the foreign adviser, commerce adviser, women and children affairs adviser, home adviser and LGRD adviser will receive the passengers from Kolkata upon their arrival in Dhaka.
Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation has made preparations to welcome them through dance, songs and sprinkling of petals.
Darshana in Chuadanga will be the immigration checkpoint for passengers from India, while the outbound passengers will go through the checking in the Cantonment Station for the 538km journey — 418km in Bangladesh and 120km in India.
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