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A “good news” on the resumption of the Maitree Express, the Dhaka-Kolkata international passenger train service, may come soon, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi has said.
Discussions between Bangladesh and India are underway to resume the service, and a specific date is expected to be announced shortly, he said.
The Indian envoy made the remarks while speaking to journalists after paying a courtesy call on Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Tuesday.
“It seems that very soon we will be able to give some good news about the Maitree Express,” Trivedi said. “We are trying to do it at the earliest.”
Asked when the train would resume operations, he said, “Very soon we will be able to give a fixed date.”
Highlighting the importance of convenient transport for ordinary people, Trivedi said people travel between the two countries not only by air but also by road and rail.
Although passenger train services were suspended, freight train operations between the two countries did not stop. Rather, the number of freight trains has almost doubled, he said.
“I heard that freight [service] has almost doubled. That is very good news. It means trade is continuing,” he said.
Emphasising the need to expand road, rail and waterways connectivity to boost bilateral trade, Trivedi said discussions were also held on ways to further increase trade between the two countries.
He said the meeting also discussed improving connectivity and reducing travel time on a particular route by three hours from the existing six to seven hours.
Earlier, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam said the meeting with the Indian high commissioner focused on ways to expand trade, connectivity and economic activities while safeguarding the interests of both countries.
Regarding the resumption of the Maitree Express, the minister said passenger train services had been suspended by India for security reasons.
“Both countries are now positively considering how to resume the service,” he said.