Editorial
Moitree Express
Let it be a symbol of friendship all the way
The Kolkata-Dhaka train service, which will reconnect the two historically linked cities, is set to begin in September. The news that the officials from India and Bangladesh have succeeded in reaching an agreement on operating two passenger trains on this route, each making two trips a week, is indeed a long awaited breakthrough as far as development of a regional communications network is concerned. It is going to be a new and much-cherished service for a huge number of people on both sides. We believe the train to Kolkata will be a symbol of goodwill and friendship between peoples of the two countries, as Moitree Express, the name given to it, suggests. It is also quite in keeping with the Saarc spirit of establishing people-to-people contact -- an essential precondition for meaningful economic cooperation. Such contact will help defuse tension and bring people closer to each other. The idea of establishing train service among the countries in the region should be extended further in future through connecting more and more cities and towns. The benefits of having such a railway network are numerous as has been proved in Europe. If the countries of the subcontinents want to turn the region into a fast-developing economic bloc, communications should always be a priority area. The Indian officials have proposed that a security fence be built at the point where the train will cross over to the Indian territory. The proposal reflects the Indian concern over certain cross-border issues related to security and prevention of illegal activities. However, we believe everything will be settled when a Bangladeshi railway delegation visits Kolkata very soon. The train to Kolkata will revive the memories of the dim and distant past when train was about the only means of transport for the people of East Bengal intending to travel to Calcutta. Today the journey will start once more, albeit under changed circumstances and after quite a few decades. Our best wishes for the Moitree Express.
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