Durga Puja rush on Mitali Express

The recently opened rail link between capital Dhaka and India's New Jalpaiguri, Mitali Express ferried nearly 400 passengers on Friday (30 September), the highest since the services started earlier this year, who reached north Bengal to be part of Durga Puja and enjoy the scenic hills of Darjeeling and Sikkim.

"There were 397 passengers who boarded from Dhaka Cantonment station on Thursday (29 September) and reached New Jalpaiguri Junction (NJP) on Friday (30 September). It is nice to see so many Bangladeshi nationals availed the train, which is the first-of-its-kind train service in the entire north Bengal and Northeast. We hope the number of passengers increases in the coming days," said an official of India's Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), reports the Telegraph India. 

"Ever since the train service started in a full-fledged manner, this is the highest number of passengers who travelled in the train," he added. 

Although the train service was jointly flagged off in virtual mode by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on 26 March, 2021, the services could not start immediately owing to the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. The train started running between Dhaka and NJP from 1 June this year. 

"Initially, we had thought of going to Calcutta to enjoy Durga Puja. Later, we changed the plan. We booked tickets for Mitali Express so that we can visit Darjeeling. Before ascending to the hills, we will spend a day in Siliguri and see some of the Pujas," said one passenger who was on board the train. 

In India, around 25% of international tourists come from Bangladesh. Every year, around three million Bangladeshis visit India.