The breakfast in Dhaka and the lunch in Kolkata. This is not a dream, but a reality of a train passenger.

The political and goodwill gestures of Indian government to launch the introduction of rail connectivity between Dhaka-Kolkata through the ‘Padma Bridge Rail Link’ and resumption of tourist visas to Bangladeshis can only materialize dreams of Bangladeshis as well as Indians, said several  Bangladesh diplomat who worked in India recently.

The introduction of rail connectivity between Dhaka -Kolkata through the ‘Padma Bridge Rail Link’ will reduce travel time substantially giving a relief to the travelers, especially the patients, said Additional Director General (Operation) of Bangladesh Railway Mohammad Nazmul Islam .

He said that the duration between Dhaka and Sealdah, a neighbourhood of Central Kolkata, through the ‘Padma Bridge Rail Link’ will be around five hours which now takes nine hours through the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge

Meanwhile, India last week announced the resumption of tourist visas for Bangladeshi nationals after nearly two years, with applications set to open from Sunday, marking the restoration of its regular visa services.

“I am happy to announce that we are resuming our normal visa operation. Applications for tourist visas can be submitted from Sunday,” Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi said.

The envoy made the announcement while visiting the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) at Jamuna Future Park in the capital this afternoon after presenting his credentials to President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban this morning.

Trivedi said India would continue to facilitate medical visas in urgent cases on humanitarian grounds.

“I called on the Hon’ble President of Bangladesh and presented my credentials today. I am coming straight to the Indian Visa Application Centre to inspect its operations. It is heartening to see such a large footfall of people here at IVAC,” the High Commissioner said.

He said visas would continue to be issued through the five IVACs located in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chattogram, Sylhet and Khulna.

Meanwhile, the  cross-border rail connectivity between India and Bangladesh remains suspended after political turmoil began in July 2024. Before the suspension, three trains ran between two South Asian countries – Kolkata-Dhaka-Kolkata Maitree Express, Kolkata-Khulna-Kolkata Bandhan Express and Dhaka-New Jalpaiguri-Dhaka Mitali Express.

The Maitree Express which runs six days a week from both sides, Dhaka and Kolkata is the only train on the route. The train’s service has been temporarily stopped for security reasons. The Maitree Express or Maitree Express or Dhaka-Kolkata Express is an International passenger train serving the railway connecting the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka and the Indian state West Bengal's capital Kolkata.

'Maitree' means Friendship, denoting the significance of the train service to the foreign relations between India and Bangladesh. The train travels around 375 kilometers to reach Dhaka from Kolkata. It takes around 10–11 hours to cover the entire stretch. There are two stops for immigration checking; one is Gede (Indian side) and the other is Dorshona (Bangladesh side)..

Meanwhile, Dhaka and Kolkata train service was halted in 1965 when Pakistan and Indians engaged in war. The train service again resumed after 43 years in 2008. …..

Meanwhile, a delegation of Bangladesh Railway held a meeting with India Railway in India on the resumption of Maitree Express. The Indian delegation is expected to visit Dhaka soon on resuming the train service

Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Railway Md Rupam Anwar said that Bangladesh is hopeful of resuming train service between Dhaka and Kolkata soon…..

However, he expects that India will give nod to the introduction of new rail connectivity between Dhaka-Kolkata through the ‘Padma Bridge Rail Link’ after calculating its business interest.

Meanwhile, the much-sought train service connecting Khulna and Dhaka via the Padma Bridge began operations on December 24, 2024.

The new service, part of the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project, significantly has reduced travel time between Khulna and Dhaka, marking a major milestone in Bangladesh’s rail connectivity.

With the launch of two passenger trains—the Jahanabad Express (Khulna-Dhaka-Khulna) and the Ruposhi Bangla Express (Benapole-Dhaka-Benapole)—train journeys in the region are now faster and more efficient. The newly constructed broad-gauge single-line rail track now connects the existing Khulna-bound rail line via Rupdia and Singia stations.

The trains will operate six days a week, with a weekly break on Mondays.

Bangladesh Railway (BR) has built the 172 kilometre new railway track, with plans to upgrade it to a double track between Kamalapur, Rupdia, and Singia stations, at a cost of Tk37,155 crore, with over half of the funding provided by China in the form of a loan.

The Padma Rail Link Project was implemented by China Railway Group Limited (CREC) with the construction supervision consultant of the Bangladesh Army.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen  said Padma Bridge Rail Link is a landmark project under the Belt and Road Initiative, and also the largest infrastructure project in Bangladesh using Chinese preferential loans.

As one of the most important infrastructure projects in Bangladesh, he said it is estimated to directly benefit 80 million people and boost economic growth by 1.5%.

 Meanwhile, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on May 3, 2016 approved 'Padma Bridge rail link' project involving an estimated cost of Tk 34,988.86 crore in a bid to set up improved rail connectivity between the capital and the southwestern part of the country through the Padma Bridge.

Meanwhile, Alim Al Rabby, a businessman while talking  to this correspondent said “ India is our neighbouring country. Bangladesh has witnessed tremendous economic growth   during the last 50 years with a rise of new upper and middle class in the last 20 years. Now Bangladeshis are visiting different parts of the country and during the vacation of two Eids and the winter season, Bangladeshis are increasingly visiting India. He is ecstatic that he can reach Kolkata within 4/5 hours. It would be a dream journey by the new rail route visa Padma bridge. Hope the High Commission of India (HCI) will issue normal  visa soon as Bangladesh and India  are two neighbours”     

 Meanwhile,  Md Rafeuzzaman, former president of TOAB and governing body member of the Bangladesh Tourism Board, said: “Tourism is the third largest industry in the world.

Former Project Director of Padma Bridge Rail Link Project Md Afzal Hossain (now Director General) also said that the duration time between Dhaka and Sealdah through the ‘Padma Bridge Rail Link’ will be around five hours what now takes nine hours through the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge.

Former Chief Planning Officer of Bangladesh Railway SM Salimullah Bahar while talking to this correspondent said that the rail network of the country has marked a milestone after completion of the Padma Rail Link Project……

Meanwhile, Prof Akbaruddin Ahmad, former President of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) said recently  “Bangladesh will see a boom in the arrival of the South Asian tourists after introduction the Dhaka--Kolkata train service thru’ Padma Bridge Rail Link’

Akbaruddin Ahmad said Indian and Nepalese tourists will be interested to visit Bangladesh through the Padma Bridge. Even the government is planning to connect the southern-western part of the country with the capital through improved road and railway networks in phases. The government is also upgrading the Mongla Port, making it an international port, with a view to easing the pressure on the Chattogram Port.

 “The Padma Bridge is expected to unlock the potentials of the region and transform the lives of nearly 30 million people living in the South West. By reducing distances to major urban centres like Dhaka by almost 100km, the Bridge will reduce poverty in the region and accelerate growth and development in the country as a whole,” said a World Bank report.

Nazmun Nahar, a resident of Uttara sector 10, said usually children and women prefer train journeys over bus journeys and hope that the number of train passengers will rise several times through ‘Padma Bridge Rail Link’. A director of the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) said the number of Bangladeshi tourists will also rise as the journey time with be reduced to half compared to the present route through the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge..

Meanwhile,  Bangladesh and India have stepped in to revive the strained relations between the two countries that suffered since the ungracious departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, said politicians, diplomats, policy-markers, business leaders.

India has heaved a sigh of relief as Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) post a landslide victory in the 13th parliament election held on February 12, 2026, said a professor of the Dhaka University.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Tarique Rahman after the BNP's victory in the Bangladesh elections. Modi expressed hope to work together to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries. Earlier, the US Embassy also congratulated the people and the BNP and Tarique Rahman. The message expressed hope for cooperation to ensure the prosperity and security of the two countries.

Meanwhile, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma on Sunday said India is looking forward to engaging with the new government in Bangladesh and further strengthening bilateral cooperation across all sectors.

“In today’s meeting with the Foreign Minister, I reiterated our position that we look forward to engaging with the new Government in Bangladesh. I conveyed that we want to strengthen our people-centric cooperation in all domains, working together in a positive, constructive and forward-looking manner, based on mutual interest and mutual benefit,” he said