BD, India mull increasing number of freight trains

Bangladesh and India are considering increasing the number of freight trains for transportation of essential goods amid the ongoing lockdown due to the spread of coronavirus that limited road-based transport between the two countries.
Sources said a videoconference in this regard was held between the two sides on Monday to explore the scope of continuing the export and import activities through trains.
The meeting was called to explore the scope of using freight trains as the export and import activities based on sea and land ports have been hit hard by the lockdown.
The Indian High Commission organized the virtual meeting. Commerce Secretary Dr Mohammad Jafar Ullah, NBR Chairman Abu Hena Mohammad Rahmatul Muneem and Director General of South Asia Desk of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sarwar Mahmud attended the meeting.
Indian High Commissioner Riva Ganguly Das led the Indian side. Representatives from Bangladesh and Indian Railways also participated in the videoconference.
Sources said the meeting agreed to form an inter-ministerial committee to give necessary directions to all concerned to explore the scope of freight train use and time-based actions to be needed to take in this regard.
"We have been trying to accelerate the train-based export and import activities for long. With the slowdown in sea and road- based exports and imports due to coronavirus, this scope has been created," said the commerce secretary.
After discussing the issue with exporters and importers and other stakeholders, he said, the committee will recommend steps to be needed to popularize the train-based goods transportation.
Bangladesh and India have been operating freight trains through four borders--Rohonpur-Singabad, Benapole-Petrapole, Darshana-Gede and Birol-Radhikapur. Sources said of the four routes, customs facility at Rohonpur-Singabad is yet to be furnished well.
Though the governments of the two neighbouring countries have been working to restore train communication for both passengers and goods which remained suspended since 1965, four more borders for freight trains have yet to be resumed due to mainly mismatch of train lines.
The Indian side has long been operating trains through broad gauge while Bangladesh has mixed line with broad and metre gauge.
The train borders which are yet to be resumed are Chilahati-Haldibari, Burimari-Changrabandha, Shahbajpur-Mahishason and Akhaura-Agartola.
Against trade potential of US$ 16 billion, trade between Bangladesh and India crossed $1.0 billion in 2019.
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