Tk 80cr project may be placed at Ecnec today

Bangladesh and India are going to re-open another rail link between Chilahati in Nilphamari and Haldibari in Siliguri to boost sub-regional trade and tourism.

A Tk 80 crore project may be placed at the Ecnec meeting today for setting up 7 kilometre broad-gauge rail track in Bangladesh part. Delhi will set up 4km rail line from Haldibari to India-Bangladesh border.

According to the proposal, once the project is complete, a network will be established to facilitate import and export activities of India's north-east, Nepal and Bhutan through Mongla port in Bangladesh.

Passengers and goods could also be transported between India and Bangladesh through the rail line.

A railway ministry official said at the India-Bangladesh inter-government meeting in 2015 the decision to set up the rail line was taken. According to the project proposal, during the India-Pakistan war in 1965 the rail line was closed. Earlier, from 1862 to 1965 the connection was active.

A planning ministry official said that the project is scheduled to be completed by 2021.

Currently operating rail connections between India and Bangladesh are: Dhaka-Kolkata and Khulna-Kolkata.