India proposes rail freight service for Bangladesh boxes

INDIA is proposing to launch a rail freight service to Bangladesh for container cargo, just months after the two nations recommenced a direct passenger train service, after suspending the Dhaka-Calcutta route for 43 years.
According to media reports from India, the nation is proposing to operate rail freight service for containers on the Uttar Pradesh-Dhaka route to help reduce transportation costs and reduce transit times, reported the New Age newspaper, quoting the Bangladesh Railway's director general Belayet Hossain.
The proposal is expected to be raised during a two-day meeting of railway officials from both sides in New Delhi in November.
According to comments by unidentified railway officials, India is proposing to send 30 containers per trip from Uttar Pradesh to the inland container depot of Dhaka, and to operate four such trips every month, The Hindu newspaper reported.
Mr Hossain said that Dhaka had already asked New Delhi to provide the design and capacity of the container trains and excess load for the consideration of local engineers.
The officials said New Delhi is proposing that the rail freight service be operated using the same track as the Gede-Darshana route that is currently use by the Maitree Express passenger train between the West Bengal capital and Dhaka.