• All train services between India and Bangladesh have been suspended indefinitely, Railway officials said following unrest in the neighbouring country.

• Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country while Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman announced an interim government amid massive violent protests in the neighbouring country which plunged deeper into chaos.

• Maitree Express, Bandhan Express and Mitali Express operated their last trips in mid-July and have been cancelled since then due to violent protests in Bangladesh.

• Besides passenger services, all freight operations have also been suspended.

• Mitali Express, which runs between New Jalpaiguri-Dhaka, went to Dhaka on July 17, but it didn’t return after that.

• Maitree runs between Dhaka and Kolkata while the bi-weekly Bandhan Express operates between Khulna and Kolkata.

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–Darshana). 

• India and Bangladesh have consistently stepped up their cooperation in railways sector.

• 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.

Operational rail links between India and Bangladesh:

• Petrapole (India) – Benapole (Bangladesh)

• Gede (India) – Darshana (Bangladesh)

• Singhabad (India) – Rohanpur (Bangladesh)

• Radhikapur (India) – Birol (Bangladesh)

• Haldibari (India) – Chilahati (Bangladesh)

• Agartala (India) - Akhaura (Bangladesh).

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