DHAKA: Much-awaited train 'Benapole Express’ hit Benapole-Dhaka rail route for the maiden trip on Wednesday (July 17).

Through a videoconference from her official residence Ganobhaban at 12:30pm, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina flagged off the intercity train that connects Benapole with the capital Dhaka. 

The train, with 896 seats in 12 compartments, left Benapole for Dhaka at 1:15pm on the inaugural day.

The Benapole Express will start from Kamalapur railway station and have stopovers in Dhaka Airport station, Ishwardi Junction and Jashore.

The ticket price for the train has been fixed at Tk 534 for Shovan chair, Tk 1,013 for Snigdha, Tk 1,213 for air-conditioned seats each and Tk 1,869 for air-conditioned berth.

The train will leave Benapole at 11.30am and reach Dhaka at 7pm. On the other hand, it will depart Dhaka for Beanpole at 12.30am and reach the destination at 8 am.

The train will reduce the existing travel time by one hour and 15 minutes, helping the Bangladesh Railway earn Tk 34 crore annually.

From the programme, the Prime Minister also inaugurated the extension of Dhaka-Rajshahi nonstop intercity ‘Bonolata Express’ train service to Chapainawabganj. Earlier, Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the service on April 25.

BDST: 1403 HRS, JULY 17, 2019
RS/SMS