Bangladesh-India Railway Meeting Ends Without Decision on Train Services
The 38th Bangladesh-India Inter-Governmental Railway Meeting has concluded at the Rail Bhaban in Dhaka without reaching a decision on resuming suspended cross-border train services. Officials stated that any move to restart the routes depends on an official proposal from the Indian authorities.
The three-day 38th Bangladesh-India Inter-Governmental Railway Meeting (IGRM) successfully concluded on Thursday at the Rail Bhaban in Dhaka. The high-level bilateral discussions brought together representatives from the Ministry of Railways and Bangladesh Railway to deliberate on various critical aspects of railway cooperation between the two neighboring countries, according to the information shared following the conclusion of the formal sessions.
Despite the extensive three-day deliberations held at the railway headquarters, the meeting failed to produce any definitive decision regarding the resumption of the Maitree Express, Bandhan Express, and Mitali Express. These three inter-country passenger trains have now remained suspended for nearly two years, causing a prolonged interruption in direct railway communication and passenger transit between Bangladesh and India.
Addressing a press conference held after the meetings at the Rail Bhaban, Ziaul Haq provided crucial clarification regarding the status of the suspended services. He explicitly stated that the suspension of these trains was not initiated by the Bangladesh Railway side, but rather that the Indian authorities had closed them down. Consequently, he emphasized that any future steps toward restoring the train operations would require an official proposal from the Indian side, after which the matter would be properly reviewed.
Amidst the discussions on resuming services, the delegations also explored strategic infrastructural proposals concerning the routes. Specifically, the talks featured discussions regarding the possibility of rerouting the Maitree Express to operate via the newly constructed Padma Bridge. According to officials, running the Maitree Express through the Padma Bridge could potentially save passengers two to three hours of travel time once the service is eventually restored.
The conclusion of the Dhaka meeting leaves the timeline for the return of the cross-border rail links uncertain. While discussions on the Padma Bridge routing highlight future efficiencies, the immediate reopening of the Maitree, Bandhan, and Mitali Express trains remains contingent upon formal communications and subsequent reviews between the railway authorities of Bangladesh and India.
