The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The stage is set for the commissioning of Dhaka-Kolkata passenger train service on April 14 (Pahela Baishakh) as rail officials of Bangladesh and India yesterday jointly resolved all the outstanding issues.

So, there is no obstacle to running the much-awaited Dhaka-Kolkata passenger train (Moitree Express) on the first day of the Bengali New Year, both the sides said on a positive note.

Delegates of Bangladesh and Indian rail authorities today concluded the bilateral talks that began at the Rail Bhaban on Wednesday, removing the hurdles to the friendship train service between the two next-door neighbors.

"We have completed all the arrangement of starting the cross-border rail service and we resolved all the unsettled issues over the beginning of the train service," ATKM Ismail told reporters after the meeting.

Ismail, Additional Secretary of the Communications Ministry, led the six-member host side and RN Varma, Additional Member (Traffic) of the Indian Railway Board, led his country's seven-member delegation.

He said there were no unsettled issues now and the two governments would decide when the agreement would be signed. He, however, claimed that the deal would be signed in the next 11 days to the Bengali New Year and the mass passenger train would kick-start from Pahela Baishakh.

The Communications official said the rail authority requested the authority concerned for ensuring security of the cross-border train, and the authorities would take the necessary masseurs.

Indian delegation leader RN Varma told the reporters that they had no apprehension about the start of Dhaka-Kolkata passenger train service as they finalized all the unsettled issues.

"We have discussed each and every item …immigration customs etc, and we are in right track. We have no apprehension over the beginning of the train service and that's why we are here," he said.

But, Varma said, train service is a complicated element and starting an international train is more complicated.

Ismail informed that Bangladeshi train with a capacity of 418 passengers would whistle away every Saturday at 8:30 am from the Cantonment station. And Indian train with a capacity of 366 passengers will start for Dhaka on Sundays at 7:10 am (local time).

The meeting decided the train fare at $ 20, $15 and $10 and the ticket would be sold only from Kamalapur Rail station. "Ticket would be sold after examining the passport and visa. Government will declare the date of selling tickets through newspaper advertisement," Ismail said.

An adult passenger can carry 35-KG luggage and a child below 5 years 20kg. Trolley for carrying goods would be provided at Dharsona station so that the passengers can carry their goods for customs checking.

On the Indian side were Suchitto Das, AK Singh, Naresh Salecha, P Gupta and Aseem Mahajan while from Bangladesh side Safiz Uddin Ahmed, joint-secretary of the Communications Ministry and M Sarwar Mahamood, Director of the Foreign Ministry.

The next meeting will be held in New Delhi in October of this year.