Mitali Express May Be Back On Track: Efforts Begin To Restart India-Bangladesh Train via Haldibari-Chilahati Route
The BNP’s victory in Bangladesh has revived hopes of restarting the Mitali Express, potentially restoring a key rail link between North Bengal and Dhaka.
Published : March 11, 2026 at 11:55 AM IST
By Abhijit Bose
Jalpaiguri (West Bengal): Nearly two years after the familiar clackety-clack of steel wheels faded into silence, the Mitali Express is likely to return on the tracks. Efforts are underway to revive the passenger train service on the Haldibari–Chilahati route, reconnecting North Bengal with Bangladesh, an initiative being spearheaded by Jalpaiguri MP Jayanta Kumar Roy who has begun consultations with multiple stakeholders to push for restoration of the service.
At present, the two passenger train services connecting India and Bangladesh remain suspended due to the political situation in Bangladesh and a deterioration in bilateral relations. With a new government now in place in Dhaka, the possibility of restarting the Mitali Express has once again come into focus.
Political Change in Dhaka Opens Window
The recent landslide victory of the BNP led by its chief Tarique Rahman has raised hopes that diplomatic engagement between the two neighbours could regain stability. In that changing political backdrop, Roy has initiated discussions with various authorities to explore the feasibility of resuming the train service.
Restarting an international railway link, however, is not merely an operational decision. It requires a series of clearances from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Railways. Equally crucial will be the position adopted by Bangladesh’s new government, since cross-border train services depend heavily on coordinated diplomatic and security arrangements between the two countries. For residents and traders in the border districts, the revival of the train is very important as it represents the reopening of a corridor that once connected communities, markets and families across the frontier.
A Rail Route With a Long Memory
The rail corridor through Haldibari once served as a vital link between North Bengal and Kolkata, passing through what is now Bangladesh. Until 1965, passenger trains originating from Jalpaiguri travelled through this route before reaching Kolkata, making it an important artery for mobility and trade, and also offered a shorter transit to Kolkata from North Bengal.
The route was closed in 1965 amid political tensions and remained dormant for decades, fading into memory for an entire generation. For many years it received little attention in policy discussions. The demand to reopen the link resurfaced only after the 2015 India - Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement, which resolved the long-standing enclave issue between the two countries and ushered in a new phase of cooperation.
Subsequently, both governments moved to restore rail connectivity. India’s Railway Ministry laid 3.34 kilometres of track from Haldibari station to the India - Bangladesh border, while Bangladesh Railway constructed 6.724 kilometres of track from Chilahati to the Haldibari border.
After years of preparation, the route finally came alive again in 2022, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina jointly inaugurated the New Jalpaiguri-Dhaka Mitali Express on June 1. The launch was widely seen as a milestone in cross-border connectivity between the two neighbours.
From Promise to Pause
The service, however, ran into trouble amid political turmoil in Bangladesh. Relations between India and Bangladesh deteriorated amid tensions, including allegations of rising violence against Hindu minorities. Against this backdrop, the Mitali Express service was suspended in July 2024. The last train left New Jalpaiguri for Dhaka on July 17, 2024, after which operations came to a halt. For months, the rake remained stranded in Bangladesh. Following a meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries, the train finally returned to India on December 10 that year, after spending nearly five months across the border.
Since then, the train has been stationed at New Jalpaiguri railway station, waiting for diplomatic signals that might allow it to run again.
More Than a Train for The Border
For people living along the border districts of North Bengal, the Mitali Express has always represented more than just a train service. It is seen as a bridge between two regions with shared histories, languages and family ties. The possibility of restarting the service has therefore generated optimism among local residents in Jalpaiguri and surrounding areas.
Swapan Sarkar, a local resident, said, “We want the Mitali Express to resume operations. It will help rebuild the bond of friendship between the two countries.”
Railway officials say they are ready to act once the required clearances arrive. Kirendra Nara, Divisional Railway Manager of the Katihar Division of Northeast Frontier Railway, said, “We will restart the Mitali Express as soon as we receive the necessary approval from the authorities. We are waiting for instructions.”
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Jalpaiguri MP Jayanta Kumar Roy stated, “A new government has been formed in Bangladesh. I hope relations between India and Bangladesh will improve again. The Mitali Express running again will strengthen ties between the two countries and improve connectivity. The train will also contribute to the socio-economic development of Haldibari. I have already spoken to the External Affairs Minister about the issue. Haldibari railway station has been developed as an Amrit Bharat Station and further development will be planned and executed in the coming days.”
Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said, “The Yunus administration in Bangladesh had imposed restrictions on import and export with India. Now that a new government has been formed there, I will soon speak with the External Affairs Minister so that rail connectivity can resume and trade can restart.”
For now, the Mitali Express remains stationary at New Jalpaiguri. If diplomatic clearances come through, the train could once again roll across the border, reviving not just a railway service, but also a vital human and economic link between the people of the two neighbouring countries.
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