New Delhi: India on Tuesday handed over 20 broad gauge locomotives to Bangladesh Railway to promote people-to-people people connection, trade and economy between the two countries.

The locomotives were handed over in an online ceremony attended Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the presence of Bangladesh Railway Minister Md. Nurul Islam Sujan here.

Speaking at the event, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that it is indeed a very pleasant occasion in which the progress is being made by Prime Minister Modi by fulfilling an exchange of 20 locomotives to Bangladesh".

"These are very modern locomotives with 3,003 horsepower, having a speed of 120 Kmp" he said.

The Minister said the supply of locomotives will help to improve both goods and passenger trains. We hope that existing collaboration between two countries regarding Railways sector will increase day by day.”

Vaishnaw said that around $1.7 billion worth of project under various programs between India and Bangladesh have been undertaken.

He said 17 projects have been completed and India handed these locomotives to Dakha in line with a commitment that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made to his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina during her visit to New Delhi in October 2019.

In 2020, India had gifted 10 broad gauge locomotives, helping Bangladesh in smooth movement of rail traffic.

During the event, India also extended service of PM "Gati Shakti portal, a satellite monitoring system to Bangladesh.

Under which Bangladesh can execute their rail projects more efficiently in near future.

Addressing the gathering virtually, Minister of Railway, Bangladesh Mr. Md. Nurul Islam Sujan said, "The supply of locomotives will help to improve both goods and passenger trains. We hope that existing collaboration between two countries regarding Railways sector will increase day by day.”

The Minister said to enhance people to people contact, presently three pairs of passenger trains between India and Bangladesh, namely, Kolkata-Dhaka Maitree Express, Kolkata-Khulna Bandhan Express and New Jalpaiguri- Dhaka Mitali Express are running.

As the Ministry of Railways, the trade between both the countries via rail have seen consistent growth with interchange of close to 100 cargo trains per month and approximately 2.66 MT cargo was sent to Bangladesh in the last financial year.

(With UNI inputs)