New Delhi: The 10 locomotives that India gifted to Bangladesh last month were all second-hand but were “in good condition”, multiple sources have told ThePrint.
According to sources, the 10 broad gauge locomotives that New Delhi gifted to Dhaka was in line with a commitment that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made to his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina during her visit to New Delhi in October 2019 when Dhaka had sought the locomotives.
They were commissioned in 2012 and 2015, and according to the original memorandum of understanding signed on this, “Dhaka sought second-hand locos that will be in good condition”, sources said.
The sources said Bangladesh was in “urgent need” of these locomotives as 72 per cent of its rail engines are in a worn-out condition. Thus, the Bangladesh government sought these locomotives from India on an urgent basis.
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Sections of Bangladesh media slam locomotives
Ever since the Indian Railways gifted these locomotives to Bangladesh Railways on 27 July, however, the Modi government has come under scathing criticism in Dhaka for not sending brand-new ones.
According to certain news reports in Bangladesh’s vernacular press, India handed over second-hand and poor condition locomotives to Dhaka while keeping it in the dark.
Anurag Srivastava, Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, during a press briefing last Thursday called the reports “mischievous” and said “these locos have been provided from our existing inventory based on a specific request and an urgent requirement of Bangladesh”. He, however, did not state clearly if these were brand new or second-hand locomotives.
The 10 locomotives were handed over in an online ceremony attended by Bangladesh Railway Minister Md. Nurul Islam Sujan, Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran, and the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das. From the Indian side, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal were present.
During the event, New Delhi said all locomotives have a residual life of 28 years or more, and they are designed for a speed of up to 120 km per hour.
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What do you want? The loco’s are transferred at zero cost and have been refurbished for a full life of 28 years. How does it matter if it is used or not when you cant or dont manufacture your own? We purchased 1000 high HP locos from GE USA and they built a plant in BIHAR to manufacture with Indian resources and some of the components are developed in India. Likewise we have set up a 12000HP WAG12 plant in Madhepura and that is not free of cost but our taxes. So first set up a plant, and then gift them to Myanmar or Nepal, we shall see how much benevolence comes to play then. It is easy to make statements without logically reasoning it out. We are not a rich country like Saudi or US to gift brand new locos, but as we know these have enough life in them, if they fail, well throw them back at India. Just Ridiculous
We used to hear in the late sixties that Indian Bangalese in Calcutta used to boast that “Today I have eaten a whole egg myself”. This was the standard of the then India.Rice was sold here Rs.1.00 and when we crossed the border for our liberation war we found over there it was Rs.5.00 at the then Calcutta market.We first time discovered that they mix small pebbles to increase the weight of rice.At that time Pakistani Rupeese was 25% stronger than India’s one.We found a lot of differences Bern social values here and in India.When we got our freedom through much struggle Bangladesh became very poor for the bustard Pakistanis taking everything with them.I remembar India gifting some items to Bangladesh of such inferior quality that very soon our people scorned them and ultimately became anti Indian.Its true that to help themselves they helped us liberate our country but their mindset is so low that they can never be benivalent to anybody.Congress govt was a little more sympathetic but the is communal BJP is very worse.Will be friendless except US imperialist and the British colonialist asy your accomplice in their geopolitical game.I do not think we need free item from you.Economically Bangladesh is better of than India.Just continue making toilets for your citizens.We are quiet OK trading with China for our development.In 1975 India betrayed Bangladesh on defence pact by not coming to the rescue of us when US and Pakistani conspiracy resulted in assassination of our Bangobandhu which subsequently changed the secular trend of our nation and made people more anti Indian.So the rise of Islamophobia in my opinion is the direct result.As friend you can not be better than China as the latter is far more developed and able to deal with our progress.So Indian folks oil your own machine and let us advance with our own agenda.The Mudi Govt. are mainly Gujarati people and we all know about Gujarati Maroaris.Good luck you communally thinking Hindutuvas who are no different than our Jamate Islam
A begger should not be chooser. India is never a good neighbour.
The most bias media is here, Here everything portrays as bad and not mentioning what is the main things behind, As in this article, does Dhaka orders 2nd hand or new, or India would give them new if they asked for old, Rubbish media ever.
Who would want a second hand train for their country….is it one of those hand-me-down things where the younger brother gets to wear used clothes of the older brother….I think not. I have lived in India for yrs, I will forever be grateful for their assistance in our Liberation war…but honestly, they also had their motives for helping us. Is it not better to fight an enemy at one front rather than on two fronts. Lately, India has received a lot from Bangladesh…without our help, India’s eastern states would have suffered economically. India forgets that Bangladesh is in a unique position geopolitically and so it would be better for India to give as much as it receives and not undermine the smaller of the two nations. Only then can we achieve regional economic security.
To respect friendship received 1 recondition locomotive ” good condition ” as it mention is enough.
Bangladesh has no open space to keep 9 more locomotive ” good condition” diesel engine.
After the liberation they had given us saris as gift . Those saris were thin like mosquito nets .
Everything inside were visible. So the people used to call them sonar-bangla sari.
10 locos that India its not a gifted to Bangladesh. Bangladesh paid with at a rate of interest of 1 per cent per annum, repayment over 20 years.
India did not hand over brand new ones. all are second-hand product. Bangladesh should return all the second-hand product back to where it came from.
Cheaters are always liars!
You already answered the question because neither Dhaka asked for new locomotive nor India want to give freely the new one.
Correct.
Here in dhaka media presented like it was gift from india.
This only begs the question, how much of the bangladesh press community, is already in bed with the Chinese state……presstitutism afterall !
As you enjoyed us in your beds for 50 years for free!
This govt is a utter failure while dealing with neighboring countries. It should have said we have given you from our running stock. But no. Modi always wants a credit for things he does not do.
Most Bangladeshis are staunchly anti India. they blame India for every thing going wrong in their country. they blame India for their army general whose entire family, three brothers, are all accused of terrorism. they blame India as their cinema halls are closed down. No matter what India does, they will never be happy with india.
Please don’t tell this kinds of word. – the second hand. There is vast difference between India and Chinese product. You may collect the product and Manufacturing related all documents from New Delhi. Please🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
You r 100% correct..
India… mentality…never…changed…they..taken..for..garunty.. Bangladesh… shame..india
হিন্দুরা আসলেই নেংটি। কুরানের ভবিষ্যৎবানী সত্যি হবে এবং মুসলিম ও হিন্দুদের মধ্যে যে যুদ্ধ হবে তাতে মুসলিমরা জয়ী হবে ইনশাআল্লাহ।।।!!!
A silly article, deliberately try to show the Govt in bad light.
The truth is that Dhaka had sought second hand locomotives in good condition, which is exactly what India gifted to its neighbor.
Bangladeshis are frustrated hindu Dalits, they assume an Arabic name and restart their identity, no added values. I have no trust in the long term . Pity they are not aware of their capabilities . My both grandpas were Lawyers in now Bangladesh , we left everything there and we all are doing well,.
See the scorn with which this bra h m i n guy is referring to dalits! This is the reality of these Hindu bro a h m inical minds. Then they say Garv se kaho………….
ajaj