The Maitree Express was launched between Dhaka an Kolkata in 2008. Credit: Binodkumars via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Political turmoil in Bangladesh has affected cross-border passenger and freight rail with its neighbour, India. 

Just a month after a new trade route was agreed, putting Indian Railways wagons on Bangldeshi tracks, the political situation deteriorated quickly. 

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned after mass protests through July and left Dhaka on 5 August. She fled the country and is understood to be in India. 

According to Indian English-language newspaper The Hindu, Indian Railways suspended all cross-border services on the very same day Hasina quit and fled. 

But the train trouble didn’t start when the former prime minister left. The months-long protest movement against Hasina was already disrupting freight and passenger services, according to Bangladeshi officials. 

The Bangladeshi rail officials had reportedly been in communication with Indian colleagues throughout the trouble, and had cancelled services on numerous occasions. 

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

“We are communicating with Bangladeshi officials daily who have verbally informed us they are not in a position to run the trains,” a Rail Ministry source said. 

Along with multiple freight routes, there are three existing passenger services between the two nations. 

The Maitree Express, Mitali Express, and Bandhan Express have all been affected by the cancellations. 

According to The Hindu,there are several hundred freight cars stuck in limbo, either without cargo in India but unable to return, or full of goods ready to be taken to India but stuck in Bangladesh.