After a gap of over four decades, rails services between Kolkata and Dhaka resumed on Monday with the simultaneous launch of 'Maitree Express' from here and the Bangladeshi capital in a move aimed a strengthening ties between the two neighbours.Bedecked with flowers and amidst fanfare, the six- coach train began its nearly 15-hour historic run from a station in north Kolkata for Dhaka at 7.10 hours as External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee gave the go-ahead signal through a remote control on Poila Baisakh, the Bengali new year's day.Simultaneously in the Bangaldeshi capital, the Dhaka- Kolkata service left the Cantonment station after officials greeted passengers with flowers.The rail connection between Kolkata and Dhaka was snapped during the 1965 Indo-Pak conflict when Bangladesh was part of Pakistan. However, India and Bangladesh in 1996 resumed direct bus service linking Kolkata and Dhaka.The Moitree (friendship) Express will cover 538-km running 120 kms on Indian soil and the rest in Bangladeshi territory. With the Indian rake having a capacity of 368 passengers and the Bangladeshi one 418, the service will leave their respective starting points on Saturdays and return the next day.On its inaugural run, the train was briefly stopped in Nadia district in West Bengal by a group of people who squatted on the track demanding rehabilitation of Bangladeshi refugees. It, however, resumed its journey without security personnel having to use force to remove the blockade.Describing the occasion as memorable, Mukherjee said the service would bring the two countries closer. He also thanked Railway Minister Lalu Prasad at the function for introducing the train."It's a historic moment for India and Bangladesh," Mukherjee said, as the train with 65 passengers on board left Kolkata's Chitpur station, resuming the service after a gap of 43 years.As the train whistled from Dhaka station amidst a colourful function marked by Bengali folk songs and dances, Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said "It is a historic occasion for both the countries. We will be more close after the resumption of passenger train service".The train, which has both economy and air-conditioned coaches, left Dhaka with 370 passengers.Bangladesh's interim government's advisers including commerce and local government ministries, India's High Commissioner in Dhaka Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty and senior officials attended the flag off ceremony.The two countries had signed the final agreement for resuming the train services earlier this week, after the respective cabinets had endorsed the accord.At the function here, Mukherjee, accepting a suggestion from Information Minister P R Dasmunshi, said he would take the initiative to celebrate on board Maitree Express, the birth and death anniversaries of Nobel laureate Rabindranth Tagore, who had the rare distinction of composing the National Anthem of both India and Bangladesh.Describing it as a historic day for both India and Bangladesh, Lalu Prasad said the UPA government has taken initiative to strengthen ties with Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries to ensure peace without which prosperity could not be achieved.Reports from Nadia, where the train was stopped for a few minutes by activists squatting on the track, said 87 people, including 11 women, were arrested for blocking the train.
