Bangladesh and India Thursday signed two contracts for the construction of a double-line rail track between Khulna and Darshana and the conversion of the metre gauge line into a dual-gauge line between Parbatipur and Kaunia. The contract signing ceremony was held in Dhaka between representatives of the consultancy firms from India and the Bangladesh counterpart for the project. The projects are being implemented with financing under the concessional Indian line of credit (LoC) of $2 billion. The signing of the consultancy contracts for these important railway connectivity projects is expected to greatly improve sub-regional connectivity, trade and commerce, and accelerate the growth of the entire region, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said. Also read: Dhaka, New Delhi discuss boosting cooperation in railways The Khulna-Darsana rail line project is being built at a cost of $312.48 million under LoC. The total length of this rail line is 126.25km (double-line) with a 14.40km loop line, and 147 girder bridges and culverts. The project is expected to improve connectivity on the Khulna-Dhaka, Khulna-Chilahati, and Khulna-Rajshahi routes and between Mongla Port and Darsana-Gede, and augment the capacity for transportation of goods. It also aims to facilitate the transportation of fuel to the proposed fuel-based power plants in Harian, Bheramara, Santahar, Bangabandhu Bridge West Station, Amanura, Faridpur, Thakurgaon and Rangpur. The contract for consultancy services was awarded to the joint venture of Stup Consultants, Aarvee Associates Architects Engineers and Consultants, and Design Consultants (Bangladesh partner). The Parbatipur-Kaunia rail line project is being built at $120.41 million under LoC. The project aims at constructing a dual gauge railway track of 57km between Parbatipur and Kaunia junction for improving efficiency and augment line capacity in the Lalmonirhat-Kaunia-Rangpur-Parbatipur-Kanchan-Panchagarh section, Kanchan-Birol border section, and Shantahar-Bogura-Kaunia-Rangpur-Parbatipur-Kanchan-Panchagarh corridor of the Bangladesh Railway. This would also help ease cross-border traffic through the Birol border. Also read: Considering fare hike, but nothing decided yet: Railway Minister Also, fuel can be transported directly to Rangpur from Khulna upon the completion of the project. The contract for consultancy services was awarded to the joint venture of Aarvee, Stup, and Design.

Despite having huge prospects, two land ports of Chuadanga district remain neglected for years following their upgrade from customs stations. Darshana Land Port and Daulatganj Land Port are situated in Damurhuda and Jibannagar upazila respectively, in the western part of the country.   According to the Bangladesh Land Port Authority, Darshana and Daulatganj land customs stations were declared land ports on January 12, 2002, and July 31, 2013, respectively, to facilitate import and export with the neighbouring country India. But these two land ports are still not operational several years later due to reluctance on the part of the authorities concerned. At present import-export activities are partially done through the Darshana customs station by railway. Goods transport is still a far cry from the land port.  Chuadanga district administration said the distance from Dhaka to Kolkata will be reduced by around 70 kilometres after the launching of these two land ports. These two land ports will also decrease the journey time with capital Dhaka by  2-3 hours compared to the Benapole Land Port. If distance and time decrease, businessmen will transport their goods through these two ports. So, it will be easier, faster, and cheaper to import goods from India through this port.     As a result, the government can earn more revenue compared to other land ports in the country.   Proponents claim it will be possible to unload at least 200 trucks of goods daily through Darshana and Daulatganj Land Ports. As a result, these two ports will decrease financial losses to the importers due to traffic chaos at Benapole port by releasing pressure on it. Yakub Hossain Malik, president of Chuadanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said if the two ports are made operational for trade, a new horizon will open in business in the district.  “Businessmen from all over the country will come here to import goods from India and change the financial scenario of Chuadanga,” he said. READ: Fake Covid-negative certificates from govt's screening booth at Darshana checkpost Darshana land port is located on the Darshana border. Gede border under Krishnanagar subdivision of India’s West Bengal is situated opposite the port. The route of this port is the Darshana-Gede railway link and road. The distance from Dhaka to Darshana land port is about 258 kilometres. This land port is well connected to Dhaka and other parts of the country by road and rail. So, once the port is launched, goods transportation will be easy through this port.   Bangladesh Land Port Authority Chairman Md Alamgir visited Darshana Land Port on March 22, this year. After visiting the port, he briefed journalists saying Darshana port will get its full-fledged shape within the next two years. His organisation will take necessary measures for land acquisition and infrastructural development of the port.      “Whenever we come here, we talk to the Indian land port authority. They want to know how much progress we have made to open the port. We received the approval letter of this port in 2004. Since then, we have closely been working taking opinions from both sides of India and Bangladesh,” he said.          On December 13, 2021, Indian Land Port Authority Chairman and Border Management Secretary N N Sinha visited the Darshana-Gede area. His Bangladesh counterpart had also visited the spot at the same time.  Later, a delegation led by National Board of Revenue (NBR) member Zakia Sultana studied the feasibility of 450 bighas land acquisition for the port. After completing the land acquisition process, all necessary port infrastructures including a truck terminal, rail yard shed, warehouse, and the residential area will be constructed. Aminul Islam Khan, the deputy commissioner of Chuadanga, said, “Darshana Land Port is under process. We will inform concerned ministries in black and white to complete the rest of the works of the port.” 

Passengers from India and Bangladesh are allegedly receiving  certificates stating they don't have COVID-19 without even undergoing any test at the Joynagar international check post in Darshana of Chuadanga, allowing them to breeze through immigration by brandishing it. It is mandatory for all passengers to undergo a Rapid Antigen Test for Tk 100 at the Darshana checkpost. However, the health workers simply charge the test fee and provide a covid negative certificate. Even their samples are not collected, passengers alleged. Rekha Rani Saha, a Bangladeshi national, arrived in the country from India on Thursday through the Darshana checkpost, and relayed her experience to UNB. READ: Chicago students stage walkout, say COVID protocols lacking “I was supposed to undergo a health check-up at the health screening booth of the Health Department as soon as I entered the check post, but nothing like that happened,” said Rekha. “Tk 100 was also taken from me and then they handed me a negative certificate although they had no way of knowing this without collecting my sample,” she said. Two more female passengers from Bangladesh said they were charged Tk 200 for the Covid test and their samples were also collected. But they were not provided any receipt regarding the test fee. The suspicion here is that the people manning the screening booth are pocketing the fee.  Meanwhile, in the registrar book of the health screening booth for Darshana check post, where the names of those who get tested are recorded, Rekha Rani Saha’s name is not there. Asked how Rekha Rani was able to receive a negative certificate even though her name was not listed in the registrar book, Medical Technologist (Sanitary Inspector) of Damurhuda Upazila Health Complex, as well as the officer-in-charge of the health screening booth, Jamaat Ali, said, “She may have mixed into the crowd. Sometimes receipts cannot be issued and handed over because of the huge crowd.” He also admitted that patients with cancer, skin and heart disease and those under 12 were provided Covid-negative certificates without testing during the immigration to help them avoid lengthy formalities that take up valuable time. READ: Global Covid cases top 323 million SI Abdul Alim, in-charge of Darshana Immigration, said any Indian passenger who tests positive for Covid-19 are sent back. Bangladeshis are sent to the isolation center at Chuadanga Sadar Hospital. “However, while crossing the border, you must have a negative certificate. There is no scope for corruption here.” In this regard, Chuadanga Civil Surgeon Dr Sajjat Hasan said, “If this happens then it is a sensitive issue. I’ll look into the matter. If such an incident is found to be true, action will be taken against the accused.” According to Darshana Immigration sources, from January 1 to January 13, 1,804 Bangladeshis and 1,126 Indians entered Bangladesh from India using this checkpost. On the other hand from Bangladesh,  1,337 Bangladeshis and 1,725 Indians went to India through Darshana check post. Of them, 11 Bangladeshi and 13 Indian nationals were tested positive with Covid-19 during this period. Though Bangladeshi nationals infected with covid were allowed to enter the country, Indian nationals were not allowed to enter and were sent back to India.