Travel
Chilahati-Haldibari Train Chilahati-Haldibari route: Goods train to reinstate India-Bangladesh rail link on Aug 1
Dhaka, July 30: A new door of Bangladesh-India trade will be opened after 65 years, with a freight train arriving in the country from the neighbouring nation through the Chilahati-Haldibari route. By using this route, passengers of the two countries will be able to save time by travelling 150 kilometers less than usual.
However, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, passenegers train services have been stalled between the two countries.
Earlier, on December 17, 2020, an Indian train completed a trial run from Chilahati. This year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Dhaka to attend the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh and the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-India diplomatic relations. On March 26, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi jointly inaugurated the historic Chilahati-Haldibari passenger train.
Earlier on Thursday, the Indian train pilot completed a learning run from Haldibari to Chilahati with an engine. The same pilot will arrive in Bangladesh on the first of August with a freight train.
An official of Bangladesh Railway said that they have given clearance for the movement of freight trains. The train pilot who is coming to Bangladesh will bring wheat and stones in the 30-cargo train on the first of August. The destination may be up to the west bank of Bangabandhu Bridge. Products can also land at Syedpur Parbatipur. The engine will leave the cargo wagon at the specified destination and leave for India. After unloading the goods, the Indian engine will return and take the wagon.
On the other hand, all the passenger train services from both the countries are in order. Even though there is a provision for the resumption of passenger train services, it is presently stalled due to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.
The people of Bangladesh are counting the days with eager interest. When the passenger train is launched, the number of people who are travel thirsty in Bangladesh will go down to other places of interest, including Darjeeling, in the northern part of West Bengal. A large number of people from Bangladesh travel to Darjeeling every year. They have to go a long way and the cost is high. If the Chilahati-Haldibari railway is operational, a freight train will save 150 kms while travelling to Bangladesh. In that case, it will be possible to reach Bangladesh by crossing a distance of 60 km.
At present, 210 km road has to be crossed through Biral-Radhikapur. An average of four freight trains come to Bangladesh from India daily on four railway lines.
