Dhaka-Kolkata train starts on Pahela Baishakh
Bangladesh and Indian authorities yesterday reaffirmed that the much-awaited Dhaka-Kolkata passenger train service will be launched on Pahela Baishakh (April 14).
The date will be announced officially after an agreement between the railway officials of the two countries. It is expected to be signed during a three-day bilateral talk in Dhaka beginning on April 1, said communications ministry officials.
"We are aiming to start the Dhaka-Kolkata passenger train service from Pahela Baishakh… You see, our rail minister has already announced the date in the parliament," Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty said yesterday while replying to a reporter's query at the communications ministry.
He was talking to reporters after a meeting with Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Quader.
Infrastructural works that are yet to be completed would be finished within a short time, he hoped.
Responding to a query, he said fences near no man's land would not create any problem in launching the rail service. "We have already reached an agreement on this."
Pinak hoped that people of the two countries would benefit once the train service connecting the capitals of Bangladesh and West Bengal is launched.
"There are still some unfinished tasks, but we hope those will be finished by Pahela Baishakh," Communications Secretary Mahbubur Rahman told reporters.
"We have already done two trial runs and found no problems. Let's start the service; we can address problems if they come up," he said.
Talking to The Daily Star last night, he said, "There should be no reason for delaying the train service."
Bangladesh has set up the immigration centre in Darsana, Chuadanga for the time being, he said. "The Railway is preparing the budget for setting up the centre near the international border," he added.
Bangladesh would also construct fences near zero line of the border and construction work will start after the budget for it is approved, the communications secretary added.
The two-way passenger train would run once a week.
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