Bangladesh-India passenger train service resumes on April 14

Dhaka, Apr 3 (UNI) After 43 years, passenger train service between Bangladesh and India will resume on April 14 as rail officials of the two countries concluded their two-day discussions here today.

The train would be running between Dhaka and Kolkata, capital of West Bengal.

The train service was stopped during the India-Pakistan war in 1965 when Bangladesh (East Pakistan) was part of Pakistan.

After today's meeting, Bangladesh delegation leader ATKM Ismail told reporters that they resolved all the unsettled issues relating to commissioning the Dhaka-Kolkata passenger train service on April 14.

''So, there is no obstacle of running the much-awaited Dhaka-Kolkata Moitree (Friendship Express) Express on the first day of the Bengali New Year that falls on April 14,'' he said.

Mr Ismail, Additional Secretary of the Bangladesh Communications Ministry, said an agreement for the commissioning of the train service would be signed by the two countries before April 14.

Indian delegation leader RN Varma told reporters that they have discussed each and every items including immigration, customs and ''we are on the right track.'' Bangladeshi train with a capacity of 418 passengers would run every Saturday from Dhaka Cantonment station and Indian train with a capacity of 366 passengers would start for Dhaka every Sunday.

The meeting decided the train fares as 20 dollars for the first class (AC) and 10 dollars for economy class.

With the resumption of the train service, the two countries would have all modes of communications--air, bus and train services.

UNI XC PD KN1902