Fate of Dhaka-Kolkata train service hanging in balance

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FE Report
The fate of the Dhaka-Kolkata train service is now hanging in balance due to non-responsive attitude of India on the draft agreement vis-à-vis a delay over fencing on the border by the Bangladesh government.
No further progress concerning the direct railway service --Maitree Express--has been made over the past four months due to lack of proper steps between the countries despite completion of all necessary formalities.
In July, the Bangladesh government sent a revised agreement to India replacing the one signed in 2001, which will expire this year. But no response to the matter has been received from India.
The agreement to run a passenger train service between Jamuna Bridge in Bangladesh and Sealdah in Kolkata was signed in 2001.
Since then, a series of meetings have taken place at different levels between the two sides. There were agreements on customs and immigration procedures and the train fares.
The Indian government has been waiting for Bangladesh government's decision on erecting security fence on the border but the matter has, so far, remained unresolved, sources said.
They said the caretaker government is in a dilemma over making a major policy level decision on Indian government's proposal relating to fencing of 150 metres area as it does not exist in the 2001 agreement.
Passengers will go through customs and immigration check at Gede railway station in Kolkata and Darshana station in Bangladesh.
The Indian government has already fully modernised its railway station for starting the train service, sources said.
But India will not take any further steps to launch the service if Bangladesh does not agree on erecting the fence, sources added.
The communication ministry will sit in a meeting in the first week of December for expediting the initiative.
The high-ups of home ministry, ministry of foreign affairs and National Board of Revenue (NBR) will attend the inter-ministerial meeting on approval of the design for erecting physical infrastructure, extending check-posts and installation of modern equipment for immigration and customs.
Asking about development of the service, Additional secretary of communica tion ministry A.T.K.M Ismail said: "We are hopeful about the implementation of the decision as soon as possible."
"The government will need some more time to decide on erecting fence on the border as the Indian government's proposal about it was not discussed earlier at the time of negotiation," he said adding: "The situation is not frustrating."
The border law of the two neighbouring countries prohibits any fencing along the border, he said.
India has been insisting on 150-metre fencing on each side of the international border to prevent illegal immigrants taking advantage of the train service.
On July 8, an Indian train, in its trial run, arrived in Dhaka with a 31-member delegation led by AE Ahmed, additional secretary of the Indian home ministry