First container train from India reaches Bangladesh

The first container train carrying FMCG products and other items arrived at the Benapole railways station of Bangladesh yesterday. It had started from Majerhat station near Kolkata on Friday with a consignment of soaps, shampoos, other FMCG items and textile fabric in 50 containers.

The Railway Advisor in the High Commission of India Anita Barik told that the Container Train Service is going to be a regular service connecting various terminals of Indian Railways network to Bangladesh. It will connect nominated terminals of Concor India to various stations in Bangladesh such as Benapole, Jessore, Singia, Noapara and Bangabandhu Setu West railway stations.

The arrival of the container train is the culmination of the process that started in 2017 when an MoU was signed between Container Corporation of India and the Bangladesh Container Company Ltd. The trial run of the first container train from Kolkata to Bangabandhusetu West station (BBW) took place in April 2018.

India and Bangladesh have been upgrading the cooperation in railways over the years.



However, during the last few months when the Corona pandemic had affected the supply chain between the two countries, several new initiatives have been taken up to maintain the supply chain between the two countries unhindered.

Earlier, on 13 July a parcel train carrying chilli from Andhra Pradesh had arrived in Bangladesh. In June, a record number of over 100 freight trains were run between the two countries carrying essential items like sugar, maize, spices and finished products. 

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted yesterday that a consignment of 51 trucks has been exported from Bareilly in India to Bangladesh using the Indian Railways services.

Indian Railways has taken several significant steps recently to maintain the supply chain between India and Bangladesh despite the Corona pandemic. Starting the container train services is another step in this direction. The continuous upgrading of the rail link will significantly boost the bilateral trade and mutual ties between India and Bangladesh.