The Dhaka Times Desk On Wednesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Benapole Express train through a video conference by blowing a whistle from Ganobhaban. The good news for this train especially for the residents of Ishwardi is that it has a stop at Ishwardi.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the new intercity train 'Benapole Express' to run between the capital Dhaka and the country's largest land port, Benapole. The Prime Minister inaugurated the new train yesterday (Wednesday) by waving the flag and blowing the whistle through a video conference from Gana Bhavan.
The train has 12 coaches and has 896 seats. The Benapole Express train will stop at Jessore, Ishwardi and Dhaka Airport stations en route.
The train will depart from Benapole at 11:30 a.m. daily and reach Dhaka by 7:00 p.m. It will leave Dhaka at 12:30 pm and reach Benapole around 8 am. At present, the train services that are running from Jessore to Dhaka have a break at 14 places. It takes 10 to 11 hours to reach Dhaka from Jessore. There the Benapole Express train will take only 7 hours. Benapole can be reached in just one hour from Jessore. The weekly closing day of the train is Wednesday from Benapole and Thursday from Dhaka.
The train tickets are priced at Tk 534 for sofa chair, Tk 1,13 for snug, Tk 1,213 for air-conditioned seat and Tk 1,869 for air-conditioned cabin. Residents of Ishwardi will have to pay (Ishwardi-Dhaka) Shovan Chair 325 and Sligdha (AC Chair) Rs 620 inclusive of VAT.
Authorities said all the coaches of the Benapole Express train were procured from Indonesia. Passengers can travel in this modern train during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
On the same occasion, the Prime Minister extended the route of another intercity non-stop train 'Banlata Express' running on the Dhaka-Rajshahi route to Chapainawabganj. The Prime Minister inaugurated this train on April 25.
Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan and Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director Manmohan Prakash were present at Ganobhaban during the inauguration ceremony.
On the other hand, the Director General of Bangladesh Railway took part in the video conference at Benapole. Shamsuzzaman, Member of Parliament Sheikh Afil Uddin and Major General Md. Nasir Uddin.
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