Why in news?

Three days after restarting two cross-border trains stopped amid Covid-19 pandemic, therefore India and Bangladesh jointly flagged off a new passenger train – Mitali Express.

Highlights

• The new bi-weekly Mitali Express will connect New Jalpaiguri in North Bengal with Dhaka in Bangladesh through Haldibari in India and then Chilahati in Northern Bangladesh.
• The train will travel the 513 km distance in about 9-10 hours twice a week from India and back.
• Mitali Express will be yet another milestone in strengthening the bond between the two neighboring countries.

• It will also provide an access to Nepal to Bangladeshi citizens via India by rail