The issue of rail connectivity between Bangladesh and India has come to the fore again as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina travels to Delhi on Friday on her first bilateral visit after coming to power for a fourth successive term.
According to a high level source in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on rail connectivity is likely to be signed between Bangladesh and Indian railways on this visit as a measure toward boosting trade and commerce between the two neighbouring countries.
With Bangladesh Railway having taken preparations in this regard, Md Humayun Kabir, Secretary of the Ministry of Railways, will be in the entourage of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Delhi.
Currently, Bangladesh Railways is connected to the Indian Railway network at five operational interchange points: Benapole (Bangladesh)- Petrapole (India) -, Darshana (Bangladesh)- Gede (India), Rohanpur (Bangladesh)- Singhabad (India), Birol (Bangladesh)- Radhikapur (India) , and Chilahati (Bangladesh)- Haldibari (India) .
Additionally, trial runs have been conducted between Akhaura (Bangladesh) and Agartala (India), with commercial services expected to commence soon.
At present, two more rail connectivity projects between India and Bangladesh are in the survey stage: Belonia (India) to Feni (Bangladesh) and Mahisasan (India) to Shahbazpur (Bangladesh).
Passenger trains operate on three of these interchange routes, specifically the Kolkata-Dhaka Maitree Express, Kolkata-Khulna Bandhan Express, and New Jalpaiguri-Dhaka Mitali Express.
However, ahead of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s India visit, an Indian media report highlighted the fact that 14 new railways, extending 861 km to improve rail connectivity are being planned, a step which has elicited much attention in Bangladesh.
What is in the Indian survey plan?
The government of India has sanctioned the final survey for “site selection” to lay new railway tracks, aiming to enhance cross-border connectivity with Bangladesh and Nepal and establish alternate routes to India's northeastern states, according to the report in the Times of India on Wednesday.
PM Hasina to pay two-day state visit to IndiaAdditionally, the country plans to lay 202.5 km of railway tracks connecting Nepal and another 212 km towards northeast India.
The project will also involve rehabilitating old railways along the borders of Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Feni, Chittagong and Jessore.
The survey plan may include connectivity with the Padma Bridge.
India also plans to construct a 250-km track from Balurghat to Hili and Gaibandha to Mahendraganj, Tura, and Mendipathar.
A new 60 km railway line will be laid from Bihar’s Mangurjan to Cooch Bihar’s Haldibari in West Bengal via Bangladesh’s Pirganj, Thakurgaon, and Panchagarh.
Another 80 km route will stretch from West Bengal’s Dalkhola through Pirganj, Thakurgaon, and Panchagarh to Cooch Behar’s Haldibari.
Indian Railways will survey a 32 km line from Dakshin Dinajpur’s Radhikapur in West Bengal to Gitaldaha via Birol, Parbatipur, and Kaunia.
The Bilonia to Feni and Chittagong rail route will span 131 km, including 38 km of new tracks. The remaining 93 km will need rehabilitation.
India will also convert a 100 km line gauge to facilitate a train from West Bengal’s Gede to Agartala via Darshana, Ishwardi, Tongi, Bhairab Bazar, and Akhaura in Bangladesh.
Another separate line will be constructed from Petrapole to Agartala through Benapole, Jessore, Rupdia, Narail, and the Padma Bridge.
What Bangladesh Railway says
When contacted, several sources who are familiar with this update told Dhaka Tribune on Thursday that they have not been officially informed yet about the survey plan made by India.
“Like the people of Bangladesh, the Railway authority also got information from the Indian media that the Indian Railway is planning to build 14 new railways, extending 861 km to improve rail connectivity with Bangladesh. No formal proposal has the Railway received in this regard yet. When the official proposal comes only then will Bangladesh railway evaluate it,” sources claimed, seeking anonymity.
It is notable that the Bangladesh Railway authorities received a proposal from Indian Railway almost a year ago.
According to that proposal, India wants a trial train service from India to the Bhutanese border via Bangladesh.
In response, Bangladesh Railway has prepared two route proposals and is seeking input from various ministries and departments.
The route proposed by India includes Gede (India) - Darshana - Ishwardi - Abdulpur - Parbatipur - Chilahati - Haldibari (India) - Dalgaon (a town in Assam near the Bhutan border).
One of Bangladesh Railway’s proposed routes is Darshana - Chilahati - Haldibari - Jalpaiguri - Dhupguri - Falakata - Dalgaon - Hasimara station (the closest railway station to Bhutan).
Another route proposed by Bangladesh is Chilahati - Haldibari - Kokrajhar (India) - Gelephu (Bhutan).
On June 15, 2023, an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by the secretary of the Ministry of Railways was held to discuss India’s proposal.
However, when asked about the update on this proposal the sources said the proposal is still under consideration as Bangladesh is thinking in terms of maximising its own interest in this, given whether this route is functional.
In addition, there are plans to reinstall several old rail network routes along the borders of Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Feni, Chittagong, and Jessore between Bangladesh and India.
Sources at the Prime Minister’s Office claimed that a positive outcome may come about the rail connectivity between Bangladesh and India during Sheikh Hasina’s Delhi visit.
Earlier, a joint statement issued during the state visit of the prime minister of Bangladesh to India in September 2022 emphasized the importance of implementing bilateral and sub-regional rail connectivity.
On November 1, 2023, the prime ministers of Bangladesh and India inaugurated two significant rail connectivity projects: the Agartala-Akhaura rail link and the rail connection between Khulna and Mongla port in Bangladesh.
This new visit by Bangladesh’s prime minister to Delhi will be the first bilateral state visit after the formation of the new Indian government following the 18th Lok Sabha elections, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
