First train from Kolkata reaches Bangladesh

DHAKA: The first Indian passenger train from Kolkata reached Bangladesh on Sunday on a trial run as the two countries are expected to witness the launch of the direid the inter-country Moitree Express entered Bangladesh territory through the western Darshana frontiers shortly after 11 am local time with six sleek and sky blue rail coaches and an inspection car carrying a 31-member delegation led by Indian Additional Home Secretary A E Ahmed.

Hundreds of Bangladeshis clapped and waved hands as the train crossed the border while railway officials at Darshana welcomed the passengers with bouquet and sweets. 

Bangladeshi and Indian officials are expected to meet here tomorrow to finalise talks ahead of launching the regular direct passenger train services between Dhaka and Kolkata expectedly by mid August.

Officialsnistry A T M Ismail would lead the Bangladesh side, was expected to finalise the logistic issues of the train service that included introduction of box-type fencing along the route in the international border and immigration.

Officials earlier said the service could be started by July.

The officials said New Delhi proposed the bordering area of Gede on the Indian side and Darshana on the Bangladesh side as immigration points while Bangladesh officials suggested the immigration point to be set up at the originating station "to make the journey comfortable and to save time during immigration".

Passenger carriages of the train were imported from Indonesia but they were assembled in Saidpur Railway Workshop to run between Dhaka and Kolkata.

The engineers said the cost of each carriagailable as the service comprises chair coaches of economy class (Shovon class), air-conditioned first class and air-conditioned sleeping class along side a power car, one buffet car and a prayer car.

Officials earlier said there would be three categories of fares of USD 8, USD 12 and USD 20 while Bangladesh would keep 78 per cent of the revenue while India will get the rest, as the distance between Shialdaha and the Bangladesh border is 120 kilometres while the length of the rail track in Bangladesh territory is 418 kilometres.

A 10-coach train with the capacity of carrying a total of 760 passengers is expected to commute everyday and it would start at 7:45 am from Bangladesh towards India and at 7:00am from Shialdaha to Bangladesh while it would take nearly 11 hours to reach the destinations including the time for immigration checking.

The two governments signed a deed for Bangladesh-India railway link in 2001 during former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League regime but the work stalled during the subsequent rule of ex-premier Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led alliance government.