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India’s Ministry of Railways has directed officials to begin the necessary preparations for restarting the Maitree Express, the passenger train connecting India and Bangladesh. The ministry has also instructed the Railway Board to submit a report detailing the steps taken toward the train’s resumption, reports Anandabazar.
According to an official notification, a formal request has been received to restart the Maitree Express. The request was conveyed by the Indian High Commission in Dhaka through Bangladesh’s Office of the Rail Adviser and Counsellor. Authorities are considering restoring the service on its previous schedule of five days a week between the two countries.
However, before operations can resume, approvals will be required from India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, including its Border Management and Foreigners Division, as well as customs authorities.
The Maitree Express has remained suspended since July 19, 2024, when widespread unrest linked to Bangladesh’s quota reform protests disrupted cross-border rail services. The protests eventually led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, forcing the former prime minister to resign and leave the country.
The report states that Bangladesh is now under a BNP-led government headed by Tarique Rahman. Following the political transition, relations between India and Bangladesh deteriorated, contributing to the continued suspension of the Maitree Express. Although bilateral ties have reportedly shown some improvement since Tarique Rahman assumed office as prime minister, the cross-border passenger train has yet to resume operations.