Indo-Bangladeshi goods train service soon

By Haroon Habib

DHAKA, JULY 4. The much-awaited goods train service between India and Bangladesh through the Benapole- Petrapole border points will resume in two or three days as the railway authorities of the two sides signed a ``working agreement'' here today reviving the historic rail route.

But, the route will not ensure movement of passenger trains between the neighbouring countries as both the governments are yet to decide on the issue, an official said.

The Additional Director General of Bangladesh Railways, Mr. N. M.Khurshid Anwar, and the Additional Member (Traffic) of Indian Railway Board, Mr. Swarup Kumer Gupta, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides at Railway Bhaban here.

The route, fifth of its kind for both the countries, was introduced by the British Government in 1884 and had remained non-operative since 1974 due to no commercial viability. In 1994, the then BNP Government led by Begum Khaleda Zia formed a committee headed by the then Shipping Secretary, Mr. Waliul Islam, to assess feasibility of the route. Soon after assuming office in mid-1996 the present Awami League Government took initiative to revive the rail link by upgrading infrastructure and restored train operation on the Jessore-Benapole abandoned route leading to the Benapole-Petrapole route last year.

Bangladesh officials said the route would cut short 63 km. road compared to the best used nearby Darshana-Gethe route to Dhaka and facilitate smooth traffic of seven lakh tonnes of expected import-export items a year. According to the agreement, goods train from both the sides will be allowed at Benapole and Petrapole from where Bangladesh Railways and Indian Railways will take wagons of the counterparts to the destination.

The other routes are: Shahbazpur-Mohishashon, Rohanpur-Sinhabad, Birol-Radhikapur and Darshana-Gethe, through which Bangladesh Railways carried 63,000 tonnes of export items and 17 lakh tonnes of imported goods last year.

Soon after signing the agreement, both the sides expressed their satisfaction and hoped that with the revival of the agreement transportation costs will come down remarkably. ``Traffic congestion at the Benapole border land port will be eased as businessmen are expected to prefer rail for trucks,'' the Director General of Bangladesh Railways, Mr. Mohammad Abdur Rahim, said. Replying to a question on introduction of passenger train on the route, he said, ``It depends on two governments.''

He, however, said if the Government takes a decision, Bangladesh Railways can meet the requirements. ``Yes, we are also ready to run passenger trains on this route,'' Mr. Gupta echoed Mr. Rahim. Mr. Khurshid Anwar said Bangladesh Railways could meet 60 per cent of the total demand in the past but now it would meet the full demand.

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