PM Modi to jointly inaugurate Siliguri-Dhaka Express on March 26 with Bangladesh's Hasina

On the occasion of Bangladesh's Independence Day, the Indian and Bangladesh governments decided to introduce a passenger train service from March 26 between India's New Jalpaiguri in Siliguri to Dhaka in Bangladesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina will jointly inaugurate the passenger train service, informed the officials.

An eight-member delegation of Bangladesh headed by Mohammed Shahidul Islam, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Paksey, reached Siliguri and exchanged talks with the railway officials led by Rabinder Kumar Verma, DRM, Katihar, Northeast Frontier Railway(NFR), on February 21. They also jointly visited the Haldibari-Chilahati route that resumed after a gap of over 55 years. 

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Rabinder Kumar Verma, DRM, Katihar, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said this will boost up both the countries economical condition and tourism in Siliguri.

"A new passenger bi-weekly train having ten number of coaches will be started from New Jalpaiguri for Dhaka, Bangladesh. The delegations were discussed on various items including custom and immigration facilities in the two days long meeting. This will boost up both the countries economical condition and tourism in Siliguri," said DRM Verma, reported ANI.

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Shahidul Islam, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Paksey, Bangladesh informed that they always urged for communications with India.

"Bangladesh and India have a very good friendship and relation since the Independence of Bangladesh. People of Bangladesh had problems of communication and they always urged for communications through roads and railway links with India. Following the issues, the Bangladesh government reconnected broken links with India. It will take nine hours from Dhaka to Siliguri. Our government is also planning to start railway services with Nepal and Bhutan in near future," said Islam.

After the decision, the residents of Siliguri and Bangladesh welcomed the government's railway initiative. Haldibari-Chilahati, between Dhaka and Siliguri, will be the fifth link with Bangladesh. At present, India and Bangladesh have four rail links that are;

• Petrapole, India – Benapole, Bangladesh
• Gede, India – Darshana, Bangladesh
• Singhabad, India – Rohanpur, Bangladesh, and
• Radhikapur, India – Birol, Bangladesh lines.

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(With ANI Inputs)