Can the Maitree Express Put Bangladesh–India Ties Back on Track?
Bangladesh and India are moving toward a possible restoration of the Dhaka–Kolkata Maitree Express, but no restart date has been formally announced. The development is part of wider bilateral rail talks that also concern the Bandhan and Mitali Express services, suspended amid Bangladesh’s 2024 political unrest.
In a Nutshell
- Bangladesh’s road transport, shipping and railways minister said Dhaka and New Delhi held positive discussions on reviving the suspended Maitree Express passenger service between Dhaka and Kolkata.
- The service has been out of operation since July 2024, when cross-border passenger rail links were halted amid political unrest in Bangladesh; freight train movement later resumed.
- The matter is being discussed through an Inter-Governmental Railway Meeting in Dhaka involving railway authorities of both countries, alongside the possible revival of the Bandhan and Mitali Express services.
- A restart would require coordination and clearances involving railway, security, immigration, customs, home and foreign-affairs authorities in both countries.
- Officials have indicated that passenger services could potentially return as early as October if the two sides reach an agreement. However, the minister said no specific date can yet be announced.
Context
The Maitree Express, which connected Dhaka Cantonment with Kolkata’s Chitpur, was suspended in July 2024 amid the unrest that preceded the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on 5 August 2024. Indian Railways said at the time that it was cancelling services after receiving indications from Bangladesh that conditions were not suitable for train operations. Although bilateral freight trains resumed in February 2025 after a nine-month interruption, passenger rail remained suspended, underscoring that reopening a cross-border passenger route entails more than restoring tracks and rolling stock: it requires agreement on border management, immigration, customs, policing, schedules and the political confidence to operate reliably.
Why It Matters
Reviving the Maitree Express can be seen primarily as a political confidence-building measure, rather than as a conventional transport or business decision. After relations deteriorated following Bangladesh’s 2024 political upheaval, India has had strong strategic reasons to restore working ties with Dhaka: Bangladesh is central to New Delhi’s security interests in its eastern and northeastern region, cross-border trade and transit ambitions, and wider efforts to project influence in the Bay of Bengal and South Asia.
What We Think
Recent moves, including business and fuel cooperation, partial visa restoration, and dialogue on transport links and other diplomatic matters, suggest that India is seeking to prevent a prolonged diplomatic freeze and to rebuild functional channels with Bangladesh’s new political order.
In this setting, the Maitree Express is politically useful because it is a visible, low-risk step that can demonstrate goodwill without first resolving harder disputes such as Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India, Teesta water-sharing, border incidents, trade irritants or public mistrust.