Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi jointly inaugurated the rail link through video conferencing –shown on a big screen for spectators – at around 11:30am on Thursday. Following the official inauguration, a freight train carrying goods in a total of 32 wagons left Chilahati Railway Station at 12:48pm for India. “I have come here to witness this historic event.”Atiyar Rahman, 70, of Gosaiganj village of the same upazila, walked 3km on foot to be part of the celebrations surrounding the revival of the rail link. “Now as the train link has reopened, I may travel again.”He demanded that passenger trains also be reopened very soon. The distance between Haldibari Railway Station and the international border is 4.5km while that from Chilahati till zero point is around 7.5km.

Source: Dhaka Tribune December 17, 2020 16:07 UTC