Dhaka, July 19 (Representative Bangladesh has expressed interest in importing high quality train coaches from India to operate between Dhaka and Cox’s bazar. Bangladesh also intends to purchase engines and luggage vans under the Line of Credit offered by India. This was expressed during the meeting between Bangladesh Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan and High Commissioner of India Vikram Doraiswami in Dhaka on Monday.
High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami proposed to start a fourth passenger train running between Dhaka and Kolkata via Darshana. Presently, three pairs of trains namely Maitri Express between Dhaka and Kolkata, Bandhan Express between Khulna and Kolkata and Mitali Express between Dhaka and New Jalpaiguri operate between the two countries. Railway Minister Sujan stressed upon the need to increase connectivity of Bangladesh with Nepal and Bhutan via India which required strengthening the Chilahati-Haldibari route.
The Minister also called for extending the Sirajganj-Bogra line built with Indian funding up to Santahar to reap maximum benefit as the Bogra-Santahar line is still metre gauge. Apart from this, the Railway Minister and Indian High Commissioner also discussed issues related to the construction of Khulna-Mongla railway line and the third and fourth railway line from Dhaka to Tongi. They also discussed modernisation of Benapole station, construction of ICD at Sirajganj, a modern coach manufacturing factory at Saidpur, training for auxiliary locomotives of Bangladesh in India, said an official statement of Bangladesh Railways.