Tawfikul Islam, Dhaka: Three trains – Maitree, Mitali, and Bandhan – currently carry passengers between Bangladesh and India, and both countries have agreed to assess ways to increase trip frequency and passenger capacity.
In the 36th Inter-Government Railway Meeting (IGRM) held in September this year, the Bangladesh Railway requested the Indian Railways to take steps to make the Maitree Express more popular and run the train even at night for the convenience of passengers. India agreed to examine the proposal in consultation with the relevant agencies, said officials concerned.
The two countries also agreed to extend the time of operating inter-country freight trains. Instead of dawn to dusk, cargo trains between the two countries would be operated 24 hours a day, subject to approval of all the parties concerned.
Besides, at the IGRM, India requested Bangladesh to give “transit to the Indian Railways’ trains using the Bangladesh Railway’s network”.
According to the proposal, the Bangladesh Railway network covers two points on the border between the two countries – Darshana-Gede and Chilahati-Haldibari. The Indian Railways wants to use these as transit routes. India has requested to start a trial run on these routes.
Besides, both the countries discussed increasing rail connectivity between them by reopening the Shahbazpur-Mahisasan route as well as by launching the Feni-Belonia and Burimari-Changrabandha rail links, said sources present at the meeting.
Bangladesh and India also discussed signing a memorandum of understanding for starting train services on the Akhaura-Agartala rail link at the meeting, said sources.
Besides, the two countries agreed to take steps to launch rail links through the Kaunia-Lalmonirhat-Mogolhat-New Gitaldaha and Birampur-Hili border points, according to Bangladesh Railway sources.
Moreover, India informed Bangladesh that they would electrify their railway completely by December 2024 and requested it to do the same to ensure train services between the two countries continued smoothly.
Regarding the matter, the Bangladesh Railway said a feasibility study and detailed design for the Narayanganj-Dhaka-Chattogram section were being prepared. After that, the project to electrify the country’s railway would be launched.
On condition of anonymity, a railways ministry official who participated in the IGRM told the Daily Sun, “The preliminary work to run the Maitree Express at night has started. Besides, an assessment of the demand for the three inter-country train services is also going on to increase their trip frequency.”
The next IGRM will be held in November 2024 in New Delhi, said Bangladesh Railway sources.
Md Hadiuzzaman, a transport expert and civil engineering professor at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, told the Daily Sun the number of inter-country trains could be increased if there is a demand from passengers.
“But only increasing the number of trains will not be sufficient for this purpose because there is a shortage of coaches and engines, which should be looked into first.”
He also said, “The existing rail lines should be converted into broad-gauge double ones. Moreover, to make railways profitable, emphasis should be placed on inter-country freight trains.”
