The recent announcement of Mitali Express, a new cross-border train between Bangladesh and India, starting its operations from June is a major win for regional connectivity.
The non-stop train service will run between New Jalpaiguri Junction, one of the largest railway stations in North Bengal, India, and Cantonment Railway Station in Dhaka, and stands to further boost bilateral trade and tourism between the two nations.
Regional connectivity is a key factor in maintaining diplomatic relations with our immediate neighbours, especially when it comes to developing countries such as Bangladesh, where working together can create win-win situations for increasing rates of progress. In fact, it is one area that the incumbent government has firmly cemented itself with in the history books.
About a year ago, we witnessed the approval of the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation -- an initiative that stands to help improve road connectivity not only domestically, but also with Nepal, India, Myanmar, and China. These are the kind of initiatives that Bangladesh will need to increasingly be a part of as the nation strives to achieve middle income status within the coming decades.
While not as far reaching, we expect Mitali Express to positively impact trade and tourism by easing cross-border services between India and Bangladesh.
In an increasingly globalized world, it is simply foolish to not establish such connections which provide opportunities to increase regional and even international cooperation but also ensure that they are utilized to their full potential.
Increased regional connectivity will remain a key facet in the coming years as Bangladesh moves towards greater volumes of trade and a larger economic presence overall, and it is indeed heartening to see that the government is moving things in the right direction.
