Kolkata welcomes Maitree Express, 35 Bangla delegates

The Kolkata terminal was in a festive mood on Sunday as it geared up to welcome a 35-member delegation of the Bangladeshi Government.

The Kolkata terminal was in a festive mood on Sunday as it geared up to welcome a 35-member delegation of the Bangladeshi Government. As the wheels of the cross-border Maitree Express rolled in at 5.02 pm, the station exploded in celebration. The train had left Dhaka cantonment at 7 am on Sunday (Bangladesh local time). This was the second trial run of the Maitree Express.

Sunday’s trial run was significant as it is the first time that a Bangladeshi train entered the Indian territory, after rail services between the two nations were suspended in 1965.

As the grating noise of the wheels of the Maitree Express grew louder, the station saw a flurry of activities.

Women clad in white and red-bordered saris took their position before the microphone, ready to belt out the welcome song. Flower bouquets were also ready to welcome the guests from across the border.

AGM Eastern Railways Somnath Mukherjee, DRM (Sealdah) S K Mondal and other senior rail officials were present to welcome the guests. The Bangladeshi delegates, led by A T K M Ismail, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Communications of the Government of Bangladesh, were pleased with the overwhelming reception. “We are deeply touched,” said Ismail.

The delegation comprising senior railway officials, customs and immigration officials arrived here for a two-day inter-governmental meeting, beginning from Monday, to discuss issues related to cross-border train service.

All outstanding issues like frequency of trains, technology, security and trade will be finalised in this meeting.

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Meanwhile, Bangladeshi delegates are more than happy with the progress made in India in connection to the train service. “As far as preparation is concerned, they (Indian rail authorities) have made more progress than us,” said Ismail.

However, authorities on both sides of the border refused to specify a date on which the service will begin or the frequency of trains. “We will be able to throw some light only after the end of the two-day meeting,” Ismail added.