A non-stop intercity train named ‘Bonolota Express’ is going to be launched on Rajshahi-Dhaka route to meet up the long-cherished demands of people from Thursday (Apr 25).
The 928 seated ultramodern and high speed train with 12 coaches including two air-conditioned chairs and seven non-air conditioned chairs will be running on the route without any stoppage between Dhaka and Rajshahi.
Khandakar Shahidul Islam, General Manager of West Zone of Bangladesh Railway, told BSS that the train will be a new addition to the existing three intercity trains – Silk City Express, Padma Express and Dhumketu Express- on the route.
The train will start from Rajshahi at 7am and reach Kamalapur Railway Station by 11.40am. It will leave at 1:15pm and reach Rajshahi at 6pm. The train will run with some modern facilities like bio-toilet, recliner chair, Wi-Fi and led display.
Shahidul Islam says Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will launch the train service through video conference from Dhaka at 10am on Apr 25.
Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan, MP, and Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor AHM Khairuzzman Liton will attend the inaugural ceremony to be held at Rajshahi Railway station before departure of the opening train at 11.10am on Thursday.
He said 50 high speed and modern coaches were imported from Indonesia to new trains on different routes including the Rajshahi-Dhaka one.
Once the train service — Banalata Express — is launched, passengers will be able to travel to Dhaka from Rajshahi within 4 hours and 45 minutes, around one and a half hours less than the current travel time.
The forthcoming train will save at least two hours journey time than that of the existing three express trains, he said adding that the train will run on the 343-kilometer route every day excepting Friday, a weekly day-off.
This would be the third nonstop train; currently two trains are plying the Dhaka-Chattogram route.
Shahidul Islam also said the existing Padma Express which runs between Rajshahi and Dhaka will run between Chapainawabgonj and Dhaka via Rajshahi from the same date.
At present, the zone, covering Rajshahi, Rangpur and Khulna divisions, has been operating 133 trains, including 43 intercity, on different routes including the capital.
Forty-seven local or shuttle and 46 commuter or mail trains are also being operated on various routes.