The decision was made public at a press briefing yesterday after two days of meetings between the Indian delegation, who arrived in the city on a train on trial run from Kolkata, and its Bangladeshi counterpart at Rail Bhaban in Dhaka. ATKM Ismail, additional secretary (Railway Division) to the communications ministry, and AE Ahmed, additional secretary to the Indian home ministry, led their respective sides in the meetings.

A train on trial run from Bangladesh is likely to go to Kolkata on July 29 with a Bangladeshi delegation and both the parties are expected to hold another round of talks before the official launching of train service between the two countries which was suspended four decades ago.

Initially, two trains, one from Bangladesh and another from India, would operate. The Bangladesh Moitree Express would leave Dhaka on Saturdays and return on Sundays, while the Indian train would come to Dhaka on Sundays and return to Kolkata on Mondays.

Bangladesh during the meetings was insisting on six trips a week but the Indian delegation said under the existing infrastructure it was not possible for them to run that many trips.

AE Ahmed observed that the frequency and capacity of the train service have to be carefully calibrated with infrastructure development. The frequency of the service would be increased some time later.

"We are well on track... but we need some time for the development of infrastructures," AE Ahmed told reporters.

Complicated cross-border issues dominated the meetings the two sides had in Dhaka during the last couple of days, the leaders of both sides said.

"Smuggling, trespassing and activities of the criminals at the border remain a major concern, which we must address," AE Ahmed said.

Due to these concerns, the Indian side proposed the construction of a 150-foot-long and 15-foot-high security fence to "Gede" from the border as a precaution to security threats.

He, however, gave assurance that the fence would not be a defensive barbed-wire-like structure; it would rather be a "wire-mass" fence. The Bangladesh side said they would like to see the design of the proposed fence.

The officials hinted that both sides reached an understanding on other issues regarding the train service between the two countries.

The two sides also agreed on customs, immigration and fare related issues. Customs and immigration related work would be done at Gede Railway Station in West Bengal, India and at Cantonment Railway Station in Dhaka.

The one-way fare was fixed at $8 in Shovan Class, $12 in Snigdha Class (air conditioned) and $20 in Sleeper Class (air conditioned) for the 536km journey. Four hundred and sixteen kilometres of the journey would be in Bangladeshi territory and the rest 120km in Indian territory.

Talking to reporters, Ismail too stressed the need for development of infrastructure and said prior to finalising everything Bangladesh would have to arrange a trial run.

Terming the discussions constructive and wonderful, AE Ahmed said India is looking forward to Bangladesh delegation's visit to Kolkata.

A dry run of Moitree Express reached Dhaka Cantonment Railway Station at 6:22pm on July 8 with a 32-member Indian delegation.