'Mango Special Train' to start Thursday

Bangladesh Railway is going to launch the Mango Special Train on Thursday (June 8) instead of Wednesday. The measure was taken to ensure that Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan can inaugurate the operations.

Chapainawabganj Rohanpur Railway Station Master Shahidul Islam confirmed the matter on Monday.

An announcement was made earlier to launch the train from May 25 with a view to carrying mangoes from Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi to Dhaka at a low cost. However, the date was pushed back to June 7 as there was a lack of satisfactory harvest. It was again pushed back a day to facilitate the minister.

Meanwhile, traders have expressed mixed reactions about whether starting the train so late in the season will facilitate them.

According to the sources in the railway department, a total of 1,67,082 kilograms (Kgs) of mangoes were carried by Mango Special Train in 2020, 2,36,973 kgs of mangoes in 2021 and 1,48,255 kgs of mangoes in 2022.

/KN/