The Mitali Express, an international train connecting Dhaka and New Jalpaiguri, India, was sent back to India yesterday morning after being stranded in Dhaka for nearly five months due to the mass uprising against the former Hasina government.
The train crossed the Chilahati-Haldibari border under high security around 7:05am last morning, with its empty coaches handed over to Indian authorities at Haldibari station, said Md Haidar Ali, station master of Chilahati Railway Station.
The train departed Dhaka Cantonment station on July 17 but was unable to return to India as protests disrupted its operations, he added.
Bangladesh Railway officials confirmed that the train’s return was supervised, with the Bangladeshi locomotive returning to Chilahati after delivering the coaches.
Before the disruption, the Mitali Express operated twice a week, facilitating travel for passengers holding valid passports and visas between the two countries.
Launched on June 1, 2022, it runs via the Chilahati-Haldibari route, which reopened in 2021 after a 57-year hiatus.
Its regular operations remains suspended, with no announcement yet on resumption.
