In a bid to strengthened relations between two countries, Bandhan Express train to Bangladesh has been flagged of between India and Bangladesh named as Bandhan Express from Kolkata-Dhaka by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Benarji. All three personalities were connected through video conferencing for inaugurating new train between the countries.
The train will be running from Kolkata to Khulna in Bangladesh and will be covering a distance of about 172 km. It was announced in April this year when Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was on her visit to India.
Talking about the train, Bandhan Express is an air-conditioned weekly passenger having total seating capacity of 456 passengers. It will run every Thursday from both sides Kolkata and Khulna.
Along with inauguration of Bandhan Express they also inaugurated the second Bhairab and Titas railway bridges constructed on Dhaka-Chittagong route over two rivers Meghna and Titas in Bangladesh. Apart from that railway passenger terminus with immigration and customs clearance facilities at the Kolkata station was also inaugurated.
Earlier in 1965 due to war, Railway passenger and freight services between India and the erstwhile East Pakistan which is now named as Bangladesh were discontinued and were again continued after Independence.
