Chilahati-Holdibari Rail Link: Opens after 55 yrs with promises of prosperity
After 55 years, rail communications between Bangladesh and India through Chilahati-Haldibari route is going to resume today.
To this effect, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi are expected to inaugurate the rail link through video conferencing at 11:30am.
Chilahati is in northern district of Nilphamari and Haldibari in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal, India.
This popular route had been in operation between the two neighbouring countries even after the emergence of India and Pakistan as independent states in 1947.
But after the Indo-Pak war in 1965, the route went out of operation.
In the last several years, the Bangladesh and India governments restored rail connectivity on several routes that got snapped after partition of the Indian subcontinent.
Chilahati-Haldibari route is to be fifth one as the two countries already revived four such rail routes like Benapole-Petrapole, Darshana-Gede, Rohanpur-Singhabad and Birol-Radhikapur.
To make the Chilahati-Haldibari route operational, the Bangladesh government spent Tk 81 crore to construct 7km new rail tracks, 2.64km loop lines, seven minor bridges, two level crossings, and set up colour light signals and telecommunication system, said Abdur Rahim, project director of construction of broad-gauge rail line from Chilahati to Chilahati border for connectivity with India.
On the occasion, bordering town Chilahati takes a festive look as the venue is prepared near Chilahati rail station where over 1,000 distinguished guests are expected to witness the grand opening of the route.
Besides, an arrangement is made to allow thousands of people from Nilphamari and adjacent Panchagarh to witness the video conferencing through projectors as a number of big screens are set up at different points.
To make the programme a success, a preparatory meeting was held at conference room of deputy commissioner of Nilphamari on 10 December.
Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan, who attended the meeting as the chief guest, told the participants that after inauguration of the route by the two PMs, a well decorated empty goods train as a token journey would run from Chilahati rail station to Haldibari rail station.
The route is likely to become operational first with goods trains, and passenger trains may run from March 26, the minister added.
Once the rail communications between Chilahati and Haldibari route resume, it will connect Mongla port with northeastern India, Nepal and Bhutan. It will help boost the country's economy and develop railway communications in the country, says a Bangladesh Railway press release.
Operation of a freight train may start soon on the route, and the import and export activities through the route will begin, the release said.
Bangladeshi tourists, who want to travel to Darjeeling and other parts of the northeastern India, would be able to go there easily using this route, the release added.
People of Nilphamari, Panchagarh and Thakurgaon feel enthusiastic as rail communications between Bangladesh and India are going to resume through the Chilahati-Haldibari route.
Rafiqul Islam, 80, of Chilahati station area said, "In my childhood, I saw long trains running on the route and stopping here."
There were big warehouses near the station to store the imported coal and raw jute for exporting to India. "The ruins of the warehouses still can be seen."
Akhtar Hossain, president of Small Garment Factory Owners' Association in Saidpur, said they used to export cheap garment products to India for small income people through Burimari and Banglabandha land ports by road and now it would be easier for them to send these through Chilahati-Haldibari rail route at comparatively low costs.
Farhanul Haque, vice-president of Nilphamari Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said, "A scope has been created for Bangladeshi exporters to find new markets in India's seven sister states and also in Nepal and Bhutan. There would be demand for our agricultural and garment goods."