Local train services on Parbatipur-Chilmari route through Ramna station resumed on Monday after a pause of four and half years due to Covid-19 pandemic, making the travel more convenient and affordable for people and businessperson in Kurigram district.

The train services remain halted since the Covid-19 pandemic and it has once again started running between Parbatipur and Ramna stations, sounding its whistle as it made its way through Balabari and Ramna stations.

Former President of Rail-River, Communication and Environment Development mass committee, Nahid Hasan, said four local trains were operated on Ramna rail route regularly and now the train services on the route resumed today with the operation of one local train and rest three will be resumed soon.

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Sources said the train services at Chilmari point were introduced in 1967 and Ramna station was inaugurated in 1977 due to river erosion in Chilmari point and since then four local trains were operational.

Later, the train services of two local trains were suspended suddenly while on March 23, 2020, the pandemic forced a complete shutdown of the Ramna-Parbatipur local train service.

Despite demands from locals and advocacy groups like the Rail-River Communication and Environment Development Committee, the train remained out of service for an extended period.

Finally, after a prolonged period, the authorities have reinstated the local train service, bringing a sense of relief to the local population.

Travelers and traders now anticipate easier and more affordable transportation options, particularly for agricultural products and goods, which will benefit farmers and traders in the region.

The revival of the local train has also raised hopes for the future.

If additional trains resume service on schedule, it will enhance the economic prospects of the region. Students and residents from various areas, including Chilmari, Roumari, and Rajibpur, will also benefit from improved connectivity.

Expressing joy hearing the whistle of the train, Abdur Rahim Mukul, a resident of Ramna Station area, said “They had been deprived of convenient travel and goods transportation options for a long time and are now looking forward to the resumption of other train services, which they hope will restore the region's transportation tradition.”

Business owners also emphasized the growing importance of the railway if the operations at the Chilmarir port expand. They called for the prompt repair of railway lines and the reintroduction of all local and intercity train services up to Chilmari.

During a visit to the station, Lalmonirhat Divisional Railway Manager Md Abdus Salam assured that the railway lines would be repaired quickly and more trains would be introduced in consultation with local communities.

The aim is to ensure convenient services and improved revenue opportunities for all, he added.