Container Train Service with BD to Boost Ties: India

India has said the newly-introduced container train service will substantially boost business and trade between Bangladesh and India.

The first container train arrived from India via Benapole-Petrapole rail link carrying FMCG cargo and fabrics loaded in 50 containers, and those were handed over to Bangladesh on Sunday.

With this newly-introduced container train service, a "huge opportunity" has opened up for bilateral trade via rail, said the High Commission. 

The first container train was flagged off from the Container Corporation of India Ltd's (CONCOR) terminal at Majerhat, Kolkata, India and it was received at Benapole station.  

The container train service will be a permanent service connecting the nominated Inland Container Depots and Terminals of Container Corporation of India Ltd in India and various stations in Bangladesh Railway's system. 

Container train service is an additional service which is going to transport cargo by rail other than the traditional freight trains service and the recently-introduced parcel train service. 

To start the container train service, Container Corporation of India and the Bangladesh Container Company Ltd signed an MoU during the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in April 2017. 

A trial run of the first container train from Kolkata to Bangabandhu setu West station (BBW) was successfully conducted on April 3, 2018.

With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, now there has been a disruption in the supply chain. 

The government agencies of both countries have taken measures to utilize the railway as a viable option for bilateral trade and minimizing disruption in that.