0:00:03 > 0:00:06Throughout its 5,000-year history,
0:00:06 > 0:00:09the Indian subcontinent has suffered numerous invasions.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13The last was by the British.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19And among their greatest legacies were the railways,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22which fanned out to the very edges of their Indian empire.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27But they quit India in 1947,
0:00:27 > 0:00:31and hurriedly partitioned the subcontinent,
0:00:31 > 0:00:35so many of the old railway routes crossed the new frontiers...
0:00:35 > 0:00:36and were terminated.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39But a few survived.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43These are India's frontier railways.
0:01:02 > 0:01:08Once, the state of Bengal was the jewel in the crown of British India.
0:01:08 > 0:01:13Then partition divided Bengal in half, creating East Pakistan -
0:01:13 > 0:01:18a satellite state ruled by West Pakistan -
0:01:18 > 0:01:22until 1971, after a war of independence,
0:01:22 > 0:01:24it became the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Under the British, the state of Bengal,
0:01:33 > 0:01:37with its rich agricultural land and its capital, Calcutta,
0:01:37 > 0:01:39was the Empire's most successful trading port.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Strategically located on the banks of the Hooghly River,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49it was a gateway to the Bay of Bengal,
0:01:49 > 0:01:51the Indian Ocean, and the world.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00After the British left, and in the wars that followed,
0:02:00 > 0:02:02the railway suffered greatly.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07There were no cross-border passenger trains between India and Bangladesh
0:02:07 > 0:02:10for over 40 years...
0:02:10 > 0:02:13until an agreement was signed in 2008
0:02:13 > 0:02:16to run a train across the border.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18TRAIN HORN SOUNDS
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Its name was to be the Maitree Express,
0:02:23 > 0:02:25meaning simply "friendship".
0:02:31 > 0:02:35The Maitree leaves twice a week from Kolkata to Dhaka
0:02:35 > 0:02:38from its own purpose-built station.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43BELL RINGS
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Jaya Varma Sinha is the divisional railway manager
0:02:51 > 0:02:55of the Eastern Railway in Kolkata.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59She's in charge of 23,000 railway employees,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01she's responsible for 900 trains a week
0:03:01 > 0:03:04and a million passengers a day.
0:03:05 > 0:03:10But in 2007, she took on a new challenge
0:03:10 > 0:03:13in Bangladesh as the Indian Railways advisor,
0:03:13 > 0:03:18and her mandate was to get the Maitree Express up and running.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21'There were a whole lot of bilateral issues -
0:03:21 > 0:03:22'immigrations, customs.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26'The railway was least of the problems.'
0:03:26 > 0:03:27I say, "Maitree."
0:03:28 > 0:03:31That's the Hindi word, Maitree.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34If you do the Bengali version, it would be "Moitri".
0:03:36 > 0:03:38'For a long time, we were trying to get
0:03:38 > 0:03:40'a train between the two countries,
0:03:40 > 0:03:42'and there were a lot of difficulties.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46'It was a very interesting task and a very emotional task.'
0:03:51 > 0:03:54I remember sitting in the office late into the night
0:03:54 > 0:03:57along with the high commissioner, you know,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00talking to India, getting the cabinet to clear the agreement
0:04:00 > 0:04:03in the middle of the night and all that,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06so that we could run it actually on the 14th.
0:04:06 > 0:04:07So that was good.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10And I was on the inaugural train.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14So, I travelled from Kolkata...to Dhaka.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16It was a wonderful moment.
0:04:16 > 0:04:17Really, really, good.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20- PA ANNOUNCEMENT:- 'Your attention, please.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23'Kolkata to Dhaka Maitree Express
0:04:23 > 0:04:25'will leave from platform number one.'
0:04:27 > 0:04:30This becomes the entry and exit only?
0:04:30 > 0:04:35After spending four years in Dhaka mentoring the Maitree Project,
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Jaya returned to Kolkata.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40But of all the trains she now manages,
0:04:40 > 0:04:44her personal favourite remains the Maitree Express.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47They go through immigration and the customs, security...
0:04:47 > 0:04:52Now she's discussing plans to expand and update the service.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57The first step is to increase the number of coaches
0:04:57 > 0:04:59which are there in the train,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02the second to increase the frequency of this train.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06It's being discussed between both the countries, so it will happen.
0:05:18 > 0:05:19TRAIN HORN SOUNDS
0:05:24 > 0:05:28The Maitree is very much a Bengali train.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Before partition, Northeast India was simply defined
0:05:31 > 0:05:36as the State of Bengal, and its population were all Bengalis,
0:05:36 > 0:05:38both Hindu and Muslim.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Bengalis like to be known for their talents
0:05:41 > 0:05:43as religious and social reformers,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47scholars, literary giants, poets and musicians,
0:05:47 > 0:05:49and for their love of fish.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15Krishnendu Basu is the guard
0:06:15 > 0:06:18on today's Maitree Express to the border.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Basu is something of a renaissance man himself.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26An accomplished tabla player and photographer,
0:06:26 > 0:06:30he's also a self-confessed foodie, and he's very happy with his life.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35He's also very serious about his railway duties.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Seat 73. 7-3.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16The train is fully booked, so the Maitree is a real success story
0:07:16 > 0:07:20for the railways, the public, and for international diplomacy.
0:07:22 > 0:07:23PA ANNOUNCEMENT PLAYS
0:07:26 > 0:07:29The Maitree is above all a family train.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34Its passengers are mostly Bengalis visiting friends and relatives
0:07:34 > 0:07:36or returning to their village roots.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46The journey from Kolkata to Gede, at the Indian border,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48is just 113 kilometres.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51For this leg of the journey,
0:07:51 > 0:07:55the Maitree is under the control of the guard, Krishnendu Basu.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27The Maitree Express is the only train
0:08:27 > 0:08:30which runs between Kolkata and Dhaka in Bangladesh.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42HORN SOUNDS
0:08:53 > 0:08:59It's a 392km journey from Kolkata to Dhaka in Bangladesh
0:08:59 > 0:09:01and it takes around 12 hours,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04depending on the two stops for immigration and customs.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10On this first leg, there's just enough time for the catering staff
0:09:10 > 0:09:14to serve the 325 passengers some breakfast
0:09:14 > 0:09:16and a nice cup of railway tea.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28Urmi Rahman is a well-published Bangladeshi journalist and writer,
0:09:28 > 0:09:32and she's a frequent traveller on the Maitree.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Basically, we love trains.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38This train - I love it because I'm going home.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42I'm going to my own home, so I like it.
0:09:43 > 0:09:49Urmi was born in Bangladesh, married an Indian, and lives in Kolkata,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52but she's very clear about her own identity.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56First I'm a human being, then I'm a Bengali, and then I'm Bangladeshi.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02I lived in London so many years, I could have taken a British passport.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04I didn't.
0:10:04 > 0:10:10I'm living in Kolkata and I was asked by the special branch
0:10:10 > 0:10:13that "You can apply for an Indian passport".
0:10:13 > 0:10:14I said no.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18We fought for the country, I'm not giving up my passport!
0:10:24 > 0:10:28The railway has always been a family-friendly institution
0:10:28 > 0:10:33and Partho Bannerjee is from just such a railway background.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36His grandparents had left Bangladesh Railways
0:10:36 > 0:10:39and joined Indian Railways a year before partition.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Now he's the third generation to work for them
0:10:42 > 0:10:46and he's the Indian liaison officer and inspector of the Maitree.
0:10:54 > 0:10:59Travelling in a non-air-conditioned coach costs just £5 each way.
0:11:00 > 0:11:01So it's very cheap.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07But a seat in a first-class air-conditioned compartment
0:11:07 > 0:11:08is £16...
0:11:09 > 0:11:11..not including breakfast.
0:12:02 > 0:12:07Krishnendu Basu was an artistic child born into a railway family.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11His mother was Bangladeshi and his father was Indian,
0:12:11 > 0:12:12and he worked for the railways
0:12:12 > 0:12:15and was known for his fine singing voice.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Now head of the family, Basu became the breadwinner.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05He couldn't join the railway police force like his father
0:13:05 > 0:13:08because they said he wasn't really tall enough,
0:13:08 > 0:13:12so he joined as a clerk and gradually worked his way up.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Basu still loves to play tabla,
0:13:22 > 0:13:24but the railway is his bread and butter.
0:13:29 > 0:13:30HORN SOUNDS
0:13:31 > 0:13:34All guards and drivers on Indian trains are subject
0:13:34 > 0:13:36to strict rules and regulations on safety.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42For acts of God, there are the everyday religious rituals.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50Gautam Bannerjee is signing in at Ranaghat Station,
0:13:50 > 0:13:52a short commute to the border on the Maitree line.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57He's the guard who will take over from Basu at the border
0:13:57 > 0:14:00and escort the Maitree across into Bangladesh.
0:14:01 > 0:14:06But first, there's a catalogue of forms and books for signing
0:14:06 > 0:14:09and a mandatory breath test for all drivers and guards.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15MACHINE BEEPS
0:14:38 > 0:14:42Between Kolkata and Dhaka, the Maitree makes only one stop
0:14:42 > 0:14:45in India, at Gede Station, for immigration and customs checks.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57Once the train and the passengers arrive in Gede Station,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00they're literally caged in.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02This is the end of Basu's shift.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06He can't travel across the border because he doesn't have a passport,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09so he's handing over to Mr Gautam Bannerjee, who does.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27All the passengers must leave the train and carry all their bags
0:15:27 > 0:15:30for customs clearance and for immigration checks.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53After an eight-hour duty, Basu has to sign off
0:15:53 > 0:15:57at the stationmaster's cabin, and finally, he'll grab a bite to eat.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18PHONE RINGS
0:17:11 > 0:17:15After a 90-minute stop in India, the Maitree begins its journey
0:17:15 > 0:17:19across the border and into Bangladesh.
0:17:19 > 0:17:20TRAIN HORN SOUNDS
0:17:36 > 0:17:39It takes the Maitree just 20 minutes to travel to Darshana,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42the first station in Bangladesh,
0:17:42 > 0:17:45at the bilaterally agreed speed of ten kilometres an hour.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51It's a journey Gautam Bannerjee does four times a week.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Now we are going to the border.
0:18:05 > 0:18:06This is the milestone.
0:18:08 > 0:18:09This part, India.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16We have completed our journey in Indian part.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19This part, Bangladesh.
0:18:21 > 0:18:26And this is the BGB - Border Guards of Bangladesh - check post.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34The border was established by the British.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36They had annexed over half of Bengal,
0:18:36 > 0:18:39almost 30 million people,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42and gave it to Pakistan as a satellite state.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47In 1970, Pakistan was becoming increasingly brutal
0:18:47 > 0:18:52in an effort to keep the Bengali population under their control.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55And when they made Urdu the official language,
0:18:55 > 0:18:57the whole country erupted.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00I was in a college at that time.
0:19:00 > 0:19:06We worked inside the country, however we could, for the cause.
0:19:08 > 0:19:14Two of my brothers went and joined the guerrilla force.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21The Pakistan army was building up their forces here
0:19:21 > 0:19:24and they cracked down on the Bengalis,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27the sleeping people at the midnight of 25th March.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33The response to Pakistan's brutal military regime
0:19:33 > 0:19:36soon escalated into a full-blown war of independence
0:19:36 > 0:19:39involving India, Pakistan,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42and the newly emerging nation of Bangladesh.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47During the war, three million people were killed,
0:19:47 > 0:19:51and another ten million fled across the border into India.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01The people had rallied to the call of the Mukti Bahini -
0:20:01 > 0:20:03the Freedom Fighters -
0:20:03 > 0:20:06but many never lived to see Bangladesh independence.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09WOMAN ON RECORDING: 'Pakistan launched
0:20:09 > 0:20:11'a full scale war against us...'
0:20:11 > 0:20:13- MAN ON RECORDING: - 'Hey, Bangladeshis...'
0:20:15 > 0:20:18The Pakistan Army made it a criminal offence
0:20:18 > 0:20:20to listen to any news on the radio,
0:20:20 > 0:20:23so it was difficult, but not impossible
0:20:23 > 0:20:24to find out what was happening.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29In a backstreet near Ishwardi Station,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32a brave chai wallah named Kashim Mullah
0:20:32 > 0:20:34would secretly tune in to the daily news reports
0:20:34 > 0:20:37from the BBC World Service.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42Amirul Islam was only 16 when he joined the Freedom Fighters
0:20:42 > 0:20:45but, even in the fog of war, he knew of Kashim's tea stall
0:20:45 > 0:20:47and his secret radio.
0:21:16 > 0:21:21The Pakistan army surrendered on 16th December, 1971,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24and the area around Kashim's tea stall
0:21:24 > 0:21:27was officially named BBC Bazaar
0:21:27 > 0:21:30for its valued role in spreading the news.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42MAN ON RADIO: 'The Indian Army is in Bangladesh.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47'The Mukti Bahini and Freedom Fighters
0:21:47 > 0:21:50'are around you everywhere.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54'Your only chance is to surrender now.'
0:21:54 > 0:21:56CHATTER
0:22:02 > 0:22:05It went nine months...
0:22:05 > 0:22:08and then the Pakistan Army had to surrender.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12And we got our independence.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22The Maitree arrives at the border station of Darshana in Bangladesh.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27It's taken nearly two hours for all its 325 passengers
0:22:27 > 0:22:30to clear customs and immigration in India.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35And now they have to do it all over again.
0:22:38 > 0:22:43Amirul's generation brought freedom and independence to Bangladesh.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Now the freedom fighter has become a railwayman
0:22:46 > 0:22:49and he's been working on the Maitree since it started.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52He's been given a unique job on the train.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54He's responsible for public announcements
0:22:54 > 0:22:58and playing religious music and prayers on the journey.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05Amirul has created his own independent territory.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08With railway-issue DJ equipment,
0:23:08 > 0:23:12he's able to perform both a social service and a religious service
0:23:12 > 0:23:13to the Maitree passengers.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29The war had finally delivered
0:23:29 > 0:23:31independence and freedom to Bangladesh,
0:23:31 > 0:23:34and they had created a new international divide.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Partho Bannerjee visits Bangladesh as a kind of railway ambassador
0:23:41 > 0:23:45with all of the courtesies afforded to a visiting railway dignitary.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52And with plans to increase the service
0:23:52 > 0:23:55and streamline immigration and customs,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58there's still a lot of talking and handshaking to do.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12Ishwadi Junction is not far from the border
0:24:12 > 0:24:14and it's home to Mohammed Aalo,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17father of two and a chocolate seller on the Maitree Express.
0:24:20 > 0:24:25Aalo's been chocolateering on the train for the last three years
0:24:25 > 0:24:27and, like most second-generation Bangladeshis,
0:24:27 > 0:24:31he's patriotic, hard-working and optimistic.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36The Maitree is an international train,
0:24:36 > 0:24:39so Aalo has adapted his sales pitch accordingly.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20Aalo leaves for Darshana Station with his chocolate selection.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23He'll ride the train for a couple of hours,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26or for as long as he can before his chocolates start to melt.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30It's already 30 degrees in the shade.
0:25:36 > 0:25:37It's taken another two hours
0:25:37 > 0:25:40to clear Bangladesh immigration and customs,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43but finally the Maitree leaves Darshana,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46filled with all its passengers, and heads for Dhaka.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Bangladesh is a riverine country.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57There are 700 rivers and tributaries including the mighty Ganges,
0:25:57 > 0:25:59the Jamuna and the Meghna.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05Rivers are the country's major natural resource,
0:26:05 > 0:26:07but they are both a blessing and a curse.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Every year, during the monsoon rains,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16almost 20% of the country is flooded.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19Thousands of rural people lose their lives
0:26:19 > 0:26:21and millions are made homeless.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31To enable their trains to cross the Ganges River,
0:26:31 > 0:26:33the British Eastern Bengal Railway Company
0:26:33 > 0:26:35built the Hardinge Bridge in 1912.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43It was still standing until the war of independence,
0:26:43 > 0:26:45when the Indian Air Force bombed it
0:26:45 > 0:26:47to cut off the Pakistani Army's retreat.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52India had been allies with Bangladesh
0:26:52 > 0:26:55in their war of independence and, when the war was won,
0:26:55 > 0:26:59the Indian railway and the Bangladesh railway worked together,
0:26:59 > 0:27:02repaired the bridge, and reopened it a year later.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09The Hardinge Bridge has been carrying trains
0:27:09 > 0:27:11without interruption ever since.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:27:25 > 0:27:27This is the holy festival of Ramadan,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30when Muslims across the world fast for a month
0:27:30 > 0:27:32during the hours of daylight.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Aalo is finding business slow on the chocolate front.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45And the temperature in the non-air-conditioned carriages
0:27:45 > 0:27:47isn't helping.
0:28:38 > 0:28:43The demand for Aalo's chocolate snacks may be slow during Ramadan,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46but the Maitree also offers its Muslim passengers
0:28:46 > 0:28:49another service - the call to prayer.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55Prayer times are confirmed by the guard with the Dhaka office
0:28:55 > 0:28:59so that Amirul can broadcast the prayers at exactly the right time.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27For all Muslims, fasting over the month of Ramadan
0:29:27 > 0:29:31is intended to help teach self-discipline, self-restraint
0:29:31 > 0:29:33and generosity.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36It also reminds them of the suffering of the poor.
0:29:51 > 0:29:56Tradition dictates that you break your fast directly after sunset
0:29:56 > 0:29:59so, with an hour to go before darkness falls,
0:29:59 > 0:30:02fasting passengers will expect some food.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08The catering department have already started preparing
0:30:08 > 0:30:12some evening snacks known as "iftar" for their fasting passengers.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22Both the passengers and the railway staff are grateful
0:30:22 > 0:30:24for their iftar after the day's fast.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30The catering staff are the last to tuck in,
0:30:30 > 0:30:33but Aalo seems to have lost his appetite -
0:30:33 > 0:30:36the day has been unprofitable and, with all the handling,
0:30:36 > 0:30:39his chocolate bars are not in good shape.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51Standing on the east bank of the Buriganga River,
0:30:51 > 0:30:55Dhaka is the political, economic and cultural heart of Bangladesh.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59And it's the tenth largest city in the world.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03During the festival of Ramadan,
0:31:03 > 0:31:07friends and family traditionally get together each evening
0:31:07 > 0:31:09to break the daily fast.
0:31:13 > 0:31:17It's been a 12-hour journey from Kolkata to Dhaka
0:31:17 > 0:31:20and everybody on the train is eager to get home,
0:31:20 > 0:31:23especially those who are waiting to break their fast.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28Urmi feels like she's already back home
0:31:28 > 0:31:31and, although she's not religious and she's not fasting,
0:31:31 > 0:31:34she's still going to join her friends for dinner.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43I think Kolkata is too urban, but we have a connection.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47Everybody in Dhaka have a village home.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49But in Kolkata you find many people
0:31:49 > 0:31:52that don't have any connection with their villages.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58If you look into the differences, the differences are there,
0:31:58 > 0:32:04but if you look into the past history, if you say that...pre-'47,
0:32:04 > 0:32:07then you will find we all share a common history.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14Sir Cyril Radcliffe, when he was invited to come to Bengal
0:32:14 > 0:32:16and draw the dividing line,
0:32:16 > 0:32:19his greatest qualification was, he was never been to India.
0:32:20 > 0:32:25So he can do it with slides and scales and statistics,
0:32:25 > 0:32:28but we all hope that the subcontinent
0:32:28 > 0:32:32will be a continent of peace and harmony and tolerance -
0:32:32 > 0:32:35that's the fundamental, but that doesn't mean that
0:32:35 > 0:32:38that will separate the people or the nations from each other.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48The religious celebrations and cultural calendar
0:32:48 > 0:32:52of the entire Indian subcontinent and much of the world
0:32:52 > 0:32:56is still determined by the moon, the stars and the planets,
0:32:56 > 0:32:58as it has been for millennia.
0:33:00 > 0:33:01After the day's duty,
0:33:01 > 0:33:04Gautam Bannerjee, the guard on the Maitree,
0:33:04 > 0:33:06changes his uniform...and his job.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13With a bachelor's and master's degree in astrology,
0:33:13 > 0:33:17and descended from a family of eminent astrologers,
0:33:17 > 0:33:20Gautam is transformed into a Jyotish -
0:33:20 > 0:33:22a reader of the planets and the stars.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28Based on the movement of the heavens and your birth details,
0:33:28 > 0:33:33Gautam's calculations are trusted to cure sickness, arrange marriages,
0:33:33 > 0:33:37fix festivals and even predict the best time for a baby to be born.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48The Buriganga River is a life-giving force
0:34:48 > 0:34:50that flows through the city of Dhaka,
0:34:50 > 0:34:52bringing trade and employment.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08And, like Kolkata, Dhaka has always been a rich trading port.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15The city has always attracted large numbers of migrant workers.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Even today, there are more than 600,000 rickshaw-drivers,
0:35:19 > 0:35:21all living on the poverty line.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23CAR HORN SOUNDS
0:35:23 > 0:35:26The country has had something of a raw deal since independence -
0:35:26 > 0:35:30overpopulation and natural disasters have dogged its progress.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Nevertheless, Bangladesh has recently been attracting
0:35:37 > 0:35:40greater volumes of foreign investment and trade.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46But at street level, life is still tough.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53Kamalpur is the largest railway station in the country
0:35:53 > 0:35:56and it's a centre for the distribution of newspapers.
0:35:58 > 0:35:59METAL CLANGS
0:36:01 > 0:36:04There's cheap labour in abundance in Bangladesh
0:36:04 > 0:36:06and the station attracts many runaway children
0:36:06 > 0:36:09hoping to make it in the city.
0:36:09 > 0:36:10HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:36:12 > 0:36:16Abdullah is 16 years old and he left home a year ago.
0:36:17 > 0:36:18His parents were forcing him
0:36:18 > 0:36:21to become an Islamic scholar in a madrasah.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47After running away from the madrasah,
0:36:47 > 0:36:49Abdullah ended up in Dhaka.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54He worked on a fishing boat, drove a rickshaw
0:36:54 > 0:36:55and now he sells newspapers.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00Most days, Abdullah sells his papers on commuter trains
0:37:00 > 0:37:02and at local railway stations,
0:37:02 > 0:37:06but on Wednesdays and Fridays he goes to Dhaka Cantonment Station
0:37:06 > 0:37:09to catch some extra sales from international travellers
0:37:09 > 0:37:11on the Maitree Express.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40Abdullah drops off a complimentary newspaper
0:37:40 > 0:37:42in the stationmaster's office,
0:37:42 > 0:37:45and that secures him a prime spot to sell his papers.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52Nearly all the passengers are Bengali,
0:37:52 > 0:37:55both Hindu and Muslim, from both sides of the border.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05..Western Bengal, are of similar religion,
0:38:05 > 0:38:08similar climate, similar weather, similar culture -
0:38:08 > 0:38:10everything is similar.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27..especially from the people, that the number should be increased.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32Increasing numbers means more customers
0:38:32 > 0:38:33for Abdullah's paper sales.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37It's the trickle-down effect in miniature.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04Because it's an international platform,
0:39:04 > 0:39:07Abdullah has to sit outside the security fence...
0:39:08 > 0:39:11..but he's built up some regular railway customers
0:39:11 > 0:39:13and it's usually worth the commute.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25Ex-Freedom Fighter Amirul takes real pride in his job
0:39:25 > 0:39:27working on the prestige Maitree service.
0:39:27 > 0:39:32His first duty of the day - to get the passengers on the train.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34ANNOUNCEMENT: 'Heartiest welcome to all of you
0:39:34 > 0:39:37'on behalf of Bangladesh Railway.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39'Please take your seats,
0:39:39 > 0:39:44'please do not carry any contraband goods with you...'
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Aalo is a hard-working entrepreneur,
0:39:48 > 0:39:50struggling to provide for his family.
0:39:51 > 0:39:55He's the first generation to be born into an independent Bangladesh,
0:39:55 > 0:39:59but it's still the poor country he grew up in.
0:40:22 > 0:40:23BELL RINGS
0:40:27 > 0:40:30The Maitree service has been turned around overnight
0:40:30 > 0:40:33and now begins its 12-hour journey to Kolkata.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40So Aalo has just a few hours of selling time
0:40:40 > 0:40:43before the border, and before his chocolates start to melt.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45After the Maitree leaves,
0:41:45 > 0:41:49Abdullah still has plenty of newspapers to sell...
0:41:49 > 0:41:52and nobody wants yesterday's news,
0:41:52 > 0:41:55so he needs to sell more to make a profit.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59At Dhaka's busiest commuter station,
0:41:59 > 0:42:03there's still a little time left before the morning rush is over...
0:42:06 > 0:42:09..but there's plenty of competition.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35Abdullah is both intelligent and literate,
0:42:35 > 0:42:39but he's one of the millions of young people in Bangladesh
0:42:39 > 0:42:42who face the daily struggle to survive.
0:43:08 > 0:43:13Despite his position, Abdullah reads the papers every day
0:43:13 > 0:43:14and he has ambitions too.
0:43:39 > 0:43:41Abdullah is one of more than 50 million people
0:43:41 > 0:43:44living on the poverty line,
0:43:44 > 0:43:47and the railways have been struggling too.
0:44:28 > 0:44:30As the end of Ramadan approaches,
0:44:30 > 0:44:33most people leave the city to return home to their villages,
0:44:33 > 0:44:36where they can celebrate Eid with their family and friends.
0:44:40 > 0:44:42WHISTLE BLOWS
0:44:45 > 0:44:47It's known as the "Eid rush"
0:44:47 > 0:44:49and it puts tremendous pressure on the railway,
0:44:49 > 0:44:54as hundreds of thousands of people descend on platforms across the city
0:44:54 > 0:44:57hoping to find a place on a train going home.
0:45:03 > 0:45:07It's an uncontrollable and powerful outpouring of energy
0:45:07 > 0:45:09as travellers swarm over every carriage.
0:45:20 > 0:45:24Eid is a time for family and friends to reunite.
0:45:24 > 0:45:26But for Abdullah, this year, it's different.
0:45:27 > 0:45:31He says he won't go home until he's made something of himself.
0:46:00 > 0:46:03CHEERING
0:46:03 > 0:46:06Abdullah is one of millions of Bangladeshi children
0:46:06 > 0:46:09who have dropped out of education.
0:46:09 > 0:46:11He's also part of a generation of Bangladeshi youth
0:46:11 > 0:46:15increasingly migrating to cities like Dhaka.
0:46:16 > 0:46:18Even though they're living hand to mouth,
0:46:18 > 0:46:21these youngsters remain ambitious and optimistic,
0:46:21 > 0:46:25and many NGOs and volunteers throughout the city
0:46:25 > 0:46:28see their mission as improving the lives of these children,
0:46:28 > 0:46:31and helping their country to grow.
0:46:32 > 0:46:36So Abdullah has decided to visit one of the many NGOs
0:46:36 > 0:46:40set up to help street children like himself.
0:47:13 > 0:47:16The NGO is something of a reality check for Abdullah.
0:47:18 > 0:47:21It's clear that his desire for a formal education
0:47:21 > 0:47:23will come at a price.
0:47:25 > 0:47:29He'll have to swallow his pride and study with children half his age
0:47:29 > 0:47:34and sacrifice his freewheeling life for a more disciplined regime.
0:47:35 > 0:47:37And for a 16-year-old,
0:47:37 > 0:47:39it's a big decision.
0:47:40 > 0:47:42TRAIN HORN TOOTS
0:47:49 > 0:47:54Bangladesh Railways has also been receiving help and assistance.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57Foreign aid and substantial funding from Indian Railways
0:47:57 > 0:48:00is helping to rebuild its infrastructure.
0:48:02 > 0:48:05The biggest engineering project was the Bangabandhu Bridge
0:48:05 > 0:48:07over the Jamuna River.
0:48:07 > 0:48:09It took four years to build.
0:48:09 > 0:48:11It's almost three miles across
0:48:11 > 0:48:13and is one of the longest bridges in Asia.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16It's also part of the Trans-Asian Railway,
0:48:16 > 0:48:19a planned continuous road and rail link
0:48:19 > 0:48:22from Southeast Asia all the way to Europe.
0:48:36 > 0:48:38MUSIC PLAYS
0:49:11 > 0:49:14MUSIC CONTINUES
0:49:23 > 0:49:25HE HUMS TO MUSIC
0:49:43 > 0:49:46PA SYSTEM: 'Your attention, please.
0:49:46 > 0:49:50'Shortly, we are going to reach Darshana Station.
0:49:50 > 0:49:53'We are to take a break at Darshana
0:49:53 > 0:49:58'for customs and immigration formalities.
0:49:58 > 0:50:02'Please carefully reach the counters for your customs
0:50:02 > 0:50:05'and immigration formalities
0:50:05 > 0:50:09'with your luggage and packages.'
0:50:10 > 0:50:12HORN TOOTS
0:50:14 > 0:50:17The border station of Darshana is the end of the line
0:50:17 > 0:50:19for Aalo and Amirul.
0:50:20 > 0:50:24It's not been a great trip for Aalo and his melting chocolate snacks.
0:50:24 > 0:50:27So, on Eid night, he's on a mission
0:50:27 > 0:50:30which he hopes will change his fortune.
0:50:31 > 0:50:33The Maitree departs Bangladesh on time...
0:50:33 > 0:50:34WHISTLE BLOWS
0:50:34 > 0:50:37..now in the hands of the Indian crew.
0:50:43 > 0:50:45Train guard Gautam Bannerjee
0:50:45 > 0:50:48will take the train across the border into India.
0:50:48 > 0:50:511-2-1-0-7...
0:50:51 > 0:50:55And his colleague Krishnendu Basu will take the Maitree on to Kolkata.
0:51:03 > 0:51:07Aalo has had to keep his family on a meagre income from the Maitree.
0:51:09 > 0:51:12The family has led a hand-to-mouth existence,
0:51:12 > 0:51:16and there is rarely any money to spare.
0:51:16 > 0:51:20But somehow, he's managed to save enough to buy a coolbox.
0:51:31 > 0:51:35It's a big gamble, and the most expensive purchase of his life.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40But he hopes that it will stop his chocolates from melting,
0:51:40 > 0:51:42so he'll sell more and increase his profit.
0:51:48 > 0:51:51At home, it wasn't the Eid surprise the family were expecting,
0:51:51 > 0:51:55but the coolbox is greeted with delight by the children.
0:51:55 > 0:51:58It's an exciting addition to the family assets.
0:52:36 > 0:52:42Tonight is Eid, marking the end of the month-long festival of Ramadan.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45It's a time of celebration.
0:52:45 > 0:52:49Abdullah and his friends have some free tickets to a rock concert.
0:52:55 > 0:52:56MAN: Hello!
0:52:56 > 0:52:57CHEERING
0:53:02 > 0:53:05ROCK MUSIC PLAYS
0:53:09 > 0:53:13It's a rare opportunity to mix with the young and aspiring
0:53:13 > 0:53:17student generation, who he hopes one day he'll be part of.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56The Maitree pulls into Kolkata station
0:53:56 > 0:53:5812 hours after leaving Dhaka.
0:54:03 > 0:54:08Train guard Krishnendu Basu has finished his shift on the Maitree.
0:54:08 > 0:54:11So, once all the formalities of his duty are completed,
0:54:11 > 0:54:14there's just enough time to phone his wife
0:54:14 > 0:54:17before he catches a local train home,
0:54:18 > 0:54:20because tonight he's doing what he loves best -
0:54:20 > 0:54:22playing tabla with his friends.
0:54:25 > 0:54:28SHE SINGS
0:55:28 > 0:55:33Gautam Bannerjee, astrologer and guard, has predicted the future
0:55:33 > 0:55:36and brought happiness to his fellow railwayman...
0:55:36 > 0:55:38who is now a proud father.
0:56:03 > 0:56:06Abdullah decided to join the school at the NGO.
0:56:07 > 0:56:11But he's still selling newspapers on trains and platforms
0:56:11 > 0:56:14to provide him with an income while he studies.
0:56:14 > 0:56:17But the lessons he's learned on the street
0:56:17 > 0:56:19will no doubt stay with him for ever.
0:56:36 > 0:56:40Aalo's gamble on the coolbox is already starting to pay dividends.
0:56:40 > 0:56:45His chocolates stay cool and the future looks optimistic.
0:56:49 > 0:56:55Aalo, like all Bangladeshis, needs a little more money in his pocket,
0:56:55 > 0:56:57and a little bit of help.
0:56:57 > 0:57:00But his hopes and aspirations are universal -
0:57:00 > 0:57:04to educate his children and create a better life
0:57:04 > 0:57:06for himself and his family.
0:57:12 > 0:57:16Partition divided Bengal along religious lines.
0:57:17 > 0:57:20Bangladesh has a history of occupation,
0:57:20 > 0:57:22a bloody war of independence,
0:57:22 > 0:57:24and so many natural disasters
0:57:24 > 0:57:28that it prompted Henry Kissinger to predict that Bangladesh
0:57:28 > 0:57:31would become a "basket case".
0:57:31 > 0:57:35But, after less than half a century of independence,
0:57:35 > 0:57:38this energetic nation is slowly but surely evolving
0:57:38 > 0:57:40into a more confident middle age.
0:57:42 > 0:57:45The Maitree Express is just six years old,
0:57:45 > 0:57:48and every journey is fully booked.
0:57:48 > 0:57:53There are plans to double the frequency of the service.
0:57:53 > 0:57:57And both sides hope this friendship line between India and Bangladesh
0:57:57 > 0:58:02signals an even greater co-operation and prosperity in the future.
0:58:04 > 0:58:07Even if the price of fish goes up.