Mitali Express will also provide access of Nepal to Bangladeshi citizens via India by rail

The third passenger train service between India and Bangladesh, the Mitali Express, was flagged off on Wednesday.

The Mitali Express, which will run along the recently restored Haldibari-Chilahati rail link, will further promote people-to-people contact by rail between the two countries.

It will give a boost to tourism of both the countries since it connects Bangladesh with North Bengal as well as North Eastern region of India. This will also provide an access of Nepal to Bangladeshi citizens via India by rail, the Ministry of Railways said.

This train service will run between New Jalpaiguri (India) and Dhaka (Bangladesh).

On March 27, 2021, the Mitali Express was virtually inaugurated by the Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh but it could not begin operations due to Covid-19 restrictions.

It was flagged off virtually on Wednesday from Rail Bhavan, New Delhi, by Indian Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Bangladeshi Railway Minister Md. Nurul Islam Sujan.

Vaishnaw stated that Mitali Express will indeed be "a milestone in strengthening this friendship, strengthening this bond, and improving this relationship," and that it is a very "opportune moment" to take larger steps "to cement the relationship between the two countries."

On Sundays and Wednesdays, this train will depart New Jalpaiguri at 11.45 a.m. IST, while on Mondays and Thursdays, it will depart Dhaka at 9.15 p.m. Bangladesh Standard Time.

This new train joins two current passenger train services between India and Bangladesh, the Maitree Express (5 days a week) and the Bandhan Express (2 days a week).