India-Bangladesh Rail Trade Resumes with 40,000 Tonnes of Freight Exported

New Delhi, Sep 9 (KNN) Trade relations between India and Bangladesh have experienced a significant boost following the resumption of railway cargo services through the Benapole land port.

Since the restart of these services, approximately 40,000 tonnes of freight have been exported from India to Bangladesh.

This marks a substantial recovery after a 47-day hiatus in trade, which was resolved through high-level discussions between officials from both nations.

The resumed cargo shipments include essential goods such as fly ash, dry oil cake, gypsum, stone, and natural gas. Of particular note, 16 rakes have been dispatched from three Indian railway stations to Bangladesh in the past fortnight.

Among these, seven rakes were loaded with dry oil cake, a critical commodity for Bangladesh's agricultural sector, while four rakes carried fly ash, an important material for cement production.

Additionally, three rakes transported natural gas, with the remaining rakes carrying gypsum and stone.

Despite the successful revival of freight services, passenger train services remain suspended since July 19, with no immediate plans for their resumption.

The suspension of passenger trains has been a point of concern, yet the priority remains on stabilising freight operations to facilitate economic growth.

This development follows a formal request from Bangladesh Railways to their Indian counterparts on August 12, seeking the resumption of both freight and passenger services.

The dialogue that led to the resumption of trade highlights the strong economic ties between the two countries, which had reached a record export value of USD 14 billion in 2021.

Although this figure slightly declined to USD 13.8 billion in 2022 and further to USD 11.3 billion in 2023, Bangladesh remains a significant trade partner for India, especially within the South Asian region.

As the trade relationship continues to strengthen, both nations are expected to benefit economically from the revitalised railway trade, reinforcing their strategic partnership and enhancing regional connectivity.

(KNN Bureau)