The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed returned home last night at the end of his weeklong tour of India, which he billed successful.

Talking to reporters during his visit to Shantiniketan Vishwabharati in Kolkata at the fag-end of his visit, he hoped that the planned Dhaka-Kolkata passenger train service would start soon after completion of the tasks concerning the security matters.

"It will be good for all if the train service between India and Bangladesh commences. I hope the train service will be started as soon as possible, after settling the issue of security of the two countries," Gen. Moeen said.

He arrived at Zia International Airport at 8:55pm from the capital of the West Bengal state of India.

During his visit, seen as significant in enhancing the bilateral relations, the Army Chief had meetings with Indian Defence Minister AK Antony, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and chiefs of the Indian three services.

The Indian Army Chief presented six horses to General Moeen as gesture of goodwill and friendship.

He also visited Indian Military Academy at Deradun, military signal unit at Goa, and Ajmer Sharif.

In Kolkata, he met with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and discussed bilateral matters.

At Viswabharati, founded by Nobel-laureate Poet Rabindranath Tagore, Gen. Moeen was given a warm reception with flowers by the Viswabharati authorities.

Moeen told the journalists that Viswabharati has been playing a tremendous role in enriching the music and fine arts of both India and Bangladesh.

Bangladesh, he said, has got several good singers of Rabindrasangeet as they have taken higher studies from the university.

A message from Krishnagar says, The Kolkata-Dhaka rail route will be opened shortly (in two months), as early as the Bengali New Year, said Gen Moeen-U-Ahmed, Bangladesh's chief of army staff, following a tour of the Gede railway station near the Indo-Bangladesh border.

Bangladesh Army Chief also met Buddhadev, the West Bengal Chief Minister, at Writers' Buildings and said the Kolkata-Dhaka rail route will be in service within two months. He expressed satisfaction over the security arrangements for the rail link between the two countries. When asked about the time frame for the Kolkata-Dhaka rail service to begin, Gen Moeen said: "I am glad to visit the Gede railway station. I am hopeful about the success of the rail service between the two countries. I want the service to start shortly and if the governments of the two countries agree then the rail link could be inaugurated on the first day of the Bengali New Year." Md. Liakat, Bangladeshi High Commissioner and Md Imraan, Deputy Bangladeshi High Commissioner were also present during the inspection of the Gede railway station, which was supervised by the Bangladeshi defence advisor, Brigadier Maksood.

According to Eastern Railway sources, the weekly train that will travel the 345 km between Kolkata and Dhaka will have six coaches, including one air-conditioned chair car and a pantry car.

The journey will take about 12 hours and the fare will range between Rs. 300 and Rs. 800.

'Every year almost 600,000 Bangladeshis come to India. In comparison only 80,000-90,000 Indians go to Bangladesh. After resuming the train service we expect that more people would travel between the two countries,' Kamral Hassain, first secretary of the Bangladesh deputy high commission, said here.