BD receives first Indian parcel train with chilies

Bangladesh on Monday received the first ever Indian Parcel Train at Benapole carrying 384 tonnes of dry chilies from Indian south-eastern Andhra Pradesh state. The Special Parcel Express (SPE) train consisting of 16 parcel vans traveled a distance over 1372 kilometers from Reddipalem in Guntur of Andhra, known as a major chili cultivating region, to Benapole in Bangladesh, a press release of Indian High Commission here said.

It mentioned that trade between India and Bangladesh had been affected as the transport services between the two countries got disrupted due to COVID-19 related restrictions since March 2020. “To minimize the supply chain disruption, earlier the High Commission of India had proposed to the Bangladesh Railways to facilitate parcel train service between India and Bangladesh,” the release read.

After Bangladesh Railways conveyed the concurrence cargo was mobilized for the first parcel train service, it added. The high commission expected that ‘Parcel Train Service’ would be beneficial in promoting trade between both countries while the transportation cost by railways works out to be cheaper compared to road transport.

Officials familiar with bilateral trade issues said generally dry or red chilies were exported to Bangladesh in smaller quantity by road which used to cost Taka 7,910 per tonne while the product’s railway transportation would cost Tk 5,207.

(AA)