India and Bangladesh today agreed that "serious efforts" are required to restore the railway links between the two countries that had been snapped during the 1965 Indo-Pak war, six years before the liberation of Bangladesh.
The emphasis on restoring the rail lines was made when commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma met Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka.
"Both sides agreed that serious efforts are needed to restore the railway lines that went into disuse after 1965 war," the Indian commerce ministry said in a statement.
The rail links were snapped during the 1965 Indo-Pak war when Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan.
There are already five rail links between India and Bangladesh: Gede (India), Darsana (Bangladesh) broad gauge, Singhabad (India), Rohanpur (Bangladesh) broad gauge, Petrapole (India), Benapole (Bangladesh) broad gauge, Radhikapur (India), Shahbazar (Bangladesh) metre gauge.
The two countries have already activated the Kolkata-Dhaka rail link.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh prime minister expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the visit of the Indian minister and called the Indian decision 'timely'.
She said that measures announced during the visit show India's firm commitment towards fulfilling the provisions of India-Bangladesh Joint Statement, January 2010.
Sharma was here with a strong business delegation. During the visit India got further assurance on the use of Chittagong and Mongola ports.
Sharma said that this would provide tremendous benefit for trade and development of Bangladesh and the Northeast of India.
A railway link between Rohanpur and Singhabad to facilitate transit traffic from Bangladesh to Nepal through India and making the Akhoura-Agartala line operational were finalised during Hasina's visit to India in January last year.
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