Title - India, Bangladesh agree on northeastern rail link

In a recent move, Dhaka and Delhi have agreed to build a rail connection between Akhaura in Bangladesh and India's Tripura state, a link that would not only boost cross-border trade but also enable India to access its remote northeastern states far faster, via Bangladesh.Abul Kalam Azad, secretary to Economic Relations Division of the Ministry of Finance, and Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Pankaj Saran, signed a pact February 16th to build a 20km track between Akhaura, a major rail hub in the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh, and Agartala, the capital of Tripura state.Under the deal, Delhi would provide over $60.3m in aid for the project, expected to be completed in two years. At present, there is only one rail link between India and Bangladesh, between Dhaka and Kolkata.