Hasina, Modi inaugurate bus, train services

Three rail and road connectivity projects have been inaugurated for better regional connectivity between Bangladesh and India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina officially launched the services via a video conference on Saturday in Delhi. The new bus service will connect Bangladesh's capital Dhaka with West Bengal state capital city Kolkata. Trains will run on the Khulna-Kolkata and Radhikapur-Birol routes. At a joint press briefing, Modi said that connectivity “is crucial for success of bilateral development partnership.” https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/850618768447291392 “Today ... we have added several new links to our growing connectivity,” he said. “Bus and train links between Kolkata and Khulna; and Radhikapur-Biral have been restored today.” Modi also pushed for early implementation of the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal road connectivity. “We look forward to early implementation of BBIN motor vehicle agreement. It will usher new era of integration,” he said. Hasina said she agreed with her Indian counterpart that greater connectivity “is vital for development of the region.” The prime minister went on a four-day tour to India on Friday, her first in seven years. Dhaka and Delhi signed 22 deals and MoUs on Saturday.