Bengal’s State secretariat Nabanna on Saturday witnessed a flurry of activities with three rail and road connectivity projects getting inaugurated on a trial basis linking Bangladesh with this side of the other.
While the bus service started from Nabanna in Kolkata soon after Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina flagging the luxury vehicle off along with Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee the train services commenced between Khulna and Kolkata and Radhikapur in North Dinajpur district and Biral in Bangladesh.
Senior State Ministers including Partho Chatterjee, Subroto Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim were present at Nabanna when the bus service was flagged off for a 409 km journey that will take little more than 13 hours.
As per previous arrangements buses already ply between the two countries linking Kolkata and Agartala to Dhaka.
The new train service between Khulna and Kolkata also commenced on Saturday even as large crowds flanked the railway track at Petrapole border receiving the train from Bangladesh by blowing conch shells and throwing flowers.
Another train started between Radhikapur in North Dinajpur district off Raiganj and Biral. This was however a goods train.
A train called Maitrayee Express already runs between Kolkata and Dhaka via Gede border. “The new train and bus service will do us immense good particularly those who come for treatment to Kolkata said relatives of patients from Bangladesh,” while the business community at Burrabazar also welcomed the move saying the “bus service will come in handy as it will reduce the cost of transportation and make business viable.”