Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan has said that a direct train service from Benapole to Dhaka will be launched on July 25, just days before the Eid-ul-Azha. The train service will facilitate the travel of India-bound people through Benapole Checkpost, he added.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the train service from Dhaka through a videoconference,” the minister said while talking to journalists after visiting Benapole Railway Station on Wednesday afternoon.
Nurul Islam Sujan said, railways department was ignored in the past for a long time. When Awami League government came in the power, the initiative has been taken to modernize the railway services for smooth travelling passengers and goods. After completing the Padma Bridge, it will take only two and half hours time to reach Dhaka from Benapole, he said.
The minister said the train will be almost a non-stop one as it will make stoppage at a very few stations. Initially, a train will run from Dhaka to Benapole and vice versa every day, he said.
The minister also visited the Benapole checkpost BGB camp, immigration and customs office.
Sharsa Upazila Awami League president and Upazila Parishad Chairman Sirazul Haque Manju, Upazila Awami League Secretary Md. Naruzzaman, Benapole Municipality Mayor Asraful Alom Liton, C&F Agent Assiciation President Mofizur Rahman Sajon, Bangladesh-India landport chamber of commerce sub committee’s chairman Motier Rahman among others were present in the programmes.
Later, the minister visited Jashore Railway Station in the evening.
Railway sources said, the Benapole-Dhaka train will have 10 coaches, including two of cabins and two of AC chairs, rest of chairs.
The train, which is yet to be named, preliminary, the three name as “Benapole Express, Bandar Express and Echamoti Express” have been selected for the train. The fare for a cabin seat will be Tk 1,200 while that of an AC chair Tk 1,000 and non-AC chair Tk 500, sources said.
Around 6,000-7,000 people from different parts of the country, especially Dhaka, can travel to India through Benapole Checkpost every day. Most of them use buses to reach Benapole. However, they have to undergo untold sufferings very often due to gridlocks on roads, particularly at Doulatdia, Paturia, Mawa and Kathalbaria ferryghats. Once the train service is in place, the India-bound passengers can travel to Benapole easily. Beside goods transport also easily through the train service, said the sources.