• In a significant step to boost railway connectivity between India and Bangladesh, regular operation of freight trains through the restored Haldibari-Chilahati rail route started on August 1. 

• The rail route between Haldibari (India) and Chilahati (Bangladesh) has been defunct for over 50 years.

• The Indian Railways dispatched the first freight train loaded with stones from Damdim Station of Northeast Frontier Railway (India) to Bangladesh. 

• The distance from Haldibari Railway Station to the international border is 4.5 km, while that of Chilahati is around 7.5 km till the ‘zero point’. 

• Around 20 freight trains are expected to be interchanged through this rail link every month.

• The Haldibari-Chilahati rail link is the fifth rail link between Bangladesh and India that has been made operational.

India-Bangladesh rail links

• The railway network of India and Bangladesh are mostly inherited from British-era Indian Railways. 

• After Partition in 1947, seven rail links were operational between India and the then East Pakistan up to 1965. 

• Train services from India to Bangladesh were suspended since the 1965 India-Pakistan War.

• It was resumed in 2008 with the Maitree Express between Kolkata and Dhaka (via Gede–Darsana). 

• In 2017, the Kolkata-Khulna Bandhan Express (via Petrapole–Benapole) was flagged off. 

• In March 2021, Mitali Express passenger train service was inaugurated on Dhaka-New Jalpaiguri-Dhaka route through Chilahati-Haldibari rail link.

Currently, there are five operational rail links between India and Bangladesh. They are:

• Petrapole (India) – Benapole (Bangladesh)

• Gede (India) – Darshana (Bangladesh)

• Singhabad (India) – Rohanpur (Bangladesh)

• Radhikapur (India) – Birol (Bangladesh)

• Haldibari (India) – Chilahati (Bangladesh).

Haldibari-Chilahati rail link

• The Haldibari-Chilahati rail link between India and the then East Pakistan was operational till 1965. 

• This was part of the Broad Gauge main route from Kolkata to Siliguri during Partition. 

• Trains travelling to Assam and North Bengal continued to travel through the then East Pakistan territory even after Partition. For example, a train from Sealdah to Siliguri used to enter East Pakistan territory from Darshana and exit using the Haldibari-Chilahati link.

• However, the war of 1965 effectively cut off all the railway links between India and the then East Pakistan.

• The restored rail link was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on December 17, 2020.

• It will be beneficial for transit into Bangladesh from Assam and West Bengal. 

• It will also enhance rail network access to the main ports and dry ports to support the growth in regional trade to encourage economic and social development of the region.

India-Bangladesh relations

• There is much that unites India and Bangladesh — a shared history and common heritage, bonds of language, culture and multitude of other commonalities.

• In 2020-21, India-Bangladesh relations made further progress with both countries maintaining close contact, including at the highest levels. 

• The year 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the Bangladesh Liberation War and of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh.

• Bangladesh is now India’s largest trade partner in South Asia and India is the second largest trade partner of Bangladesh. 

• In 2019-20, India’s exports to Bangladesh were $8.2 billion and imports were $1.26 billion.

• Close to 30 per cent of India’s total development partnership outlays are committed to Bangladesh. 

• India has extended concessional credits amounting to almost $10 billion to Bangladesh.

• Cooperation in the power sector has become one of the hallmarks of India- Bangladesh relations. Bangladesh is currently importing 1,160 MW of power from India. 

• India has provided three tranches of COVID-19 related assistance to Bangladesh. Over 2 million doses of Covishield vaccine were sent to Bangladesh in January 2021 as grant assistance.

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