Dhaka Saturday, May 18, 2024

Chilahati-Haldibari train route resumes after 55 years
  • Staff Correspondent
  • 2020-12-17 22:45:01

After a long 55 years, train services resumed between Chilahati in Domar, Nilphamari and Haldibari in India.

Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi inaugurated the train service in a video conference at 11:30 am on Thursday.

Then at around 1 pm a train with 32 freight bogies left Chilahati for Haldibari.

At this time several thousand curious people crowded at Chilahati station and thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for fulfilling their long-standing demand.

Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, MP Abtaf Uddin Sarkar, Ahsan Adelur Rahman, Rabia Alim, Railway Ministry Secretary Selim Reza, Deputy Commissioner Hafizur Rahman Chowdhury, Superintendent of Police Md Mokhlesur Rahman, General Manager of Railways Mihirkanti Guha, Project Director Abdur Rahim, Domar Upazila Parishad Chairman Tofail Ahmed, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shahina Shabnam and others were present.

After 55 years, the Chilahati-Haldibari train has started running and the people of the district, including Chilahati, is happy. Gates were made and banners were hung at various places greeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan.

Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan said passenger trains would start plying on the rail line on March 26.

Even after the partition of Pak-India on August 15 in 1947, the passenger and freight trains were still running on this route. After 1965, the railway service between the two countries was stopped. Later, Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi government took the initiative to reopen the railway line.

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