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Bangladesh Railway has set to launch the Bonolota Express, the first ever non-stop train service on Dhaka-Rajshahi route, on Thursday to meet up the long-cherished demands of people.
“We are almost ready to start the train tomorrow. The train has already been brought to Rajshahi Railway Station from Ishwardi Junction,” said Khandakar Shahidul Islam, the General Manager of the West Zone of Bangladesh Railway.
He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will launch the train service through video conference from Dhaka at 10:00am on Thursday, reports BSS.
Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan and Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor AHM Khairuzzman Liton accompanied by many other dignitaries will attend the inaugural ceremony to be held at Rajshahi Railway station before departure of the opening train at 11:10 am on Thursday.
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.
Shahidul Islam said the train will be a new addition to the existing three intercity trains – Silk City Express, Padma Express and Dhumketu Express- on the route.
According to the schedule, the train will start from Rajshahi at 7:00am and reach Kamalapur Railway Station by 11:40 am. It will leave at 1:15 pm and reach Rajshahi at 6:00 pm.
The train will run with some modern facilities like bio-toilet, recliner chair, Wi-Fi and led display.
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- Bonolota 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-kilometre route every day excepting Friday, a weekly day-off.
Shahidul Islam also said the existing Padma Express which runs between Rajshahi and Dhaka will run between Chapainawabganj and Dhaka via Rajshahi from Thursday.