Train Arrives With Bangla Pilgrims
The only regular passenger train service between India and Bangladesh which runs just once a year entered West Bengal through the Gede border on Wednesday and reached its destination at Medinipur yesterday. The train runs between Faridpur in Bangladesh and Midnapur in West Bengal
The once-a-year service is run with a special purpose _ to ferry Muslim pilgrims to the Urs festival, named after Hajrat Sayedana-O-Moulana Murashed Ali Al Quader Al Bagdadi, a well-known religious personality in the community.
The first pilgrim special of
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the new millennium The pilgrims will start their return journey
late today evening and
reach Bangladesh tomorrow.
Though regular passenger train services were snapped after the 1965 Indo-Pak war, this pilgrim special was resumed in 1972 and has been running without interruption.
The prophet, Hajrat Sayedana-O-Moulana Murashed Ali Al Quader Al Bagdadi passed away on February 17 in 1901 in Medinipur. He was buried at Mazar Sharif Dayera Pak, also known as Jora Masjid. About 50,000 Indian, 2,000 Bangladeshi and 1,000 pilgrims from other parts of the world assemble here on this day every year for the Urs festival.
The train has been coming from across the border since 1950. It begins its run from Rajbari station in the Faridpur district, about 100 km from the border.