Ekota Express

{{Short description|Named passenger train of Bangladesh}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Infobox rail service|type=Inter-city named passenger train|trainnumber=705–706|line_used={{Plainlist|

}}|status=Operating|operator=Bangladesh Railway|start=Kamalapur railway station|name=Ekota Express|gauge=Broad-gauge{{Cite news|date=2016-12-16|title=Ekota, Drutajan get new coaches|work=The Independent|url=http://www.theindependentbd.com/arcprint/details/72637/2016-12-16|access-date=2020-12-13}}|image=একতা-দ্রুতযান-পঞ্চগড় এক্সপ্রেস.jpg|end=Bir Muktijoddha Sirajul Islam railway station|distance=526{{Cite news|date=2019-05-24|title=Panchagarh Express maiden voyage tomorrow|work=Daily Bangladesh|url=https://www.daily-bangladesh.com/english/%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%87-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF/23815|access-date=2020-12-13}} or 526 km (327 mi){{Cite news|date=2018-11-11|title=পঞ্চগড়-ঢাকা সরাসরি ট্রেন চলাচল শুরু|language=bn|trans-title=Panchagarh-Dhaka direct train movement started|work=Prothom Alo|url=https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%9E%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%9C-%E0%A6%A2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%81|access-date=2020-12-13}}}}

Ekota Express ({{Langx|bn|একতা এক্সপ্রেস}}) is a named inter-city passenger train of Bangladesh. It runs between Kamalapur railway station of Dhaka District and Bir Muktijoddha Sirajul Islam railway station of Panchagarh District.

Rolling stock

On 2 September 2016, Ekota Express along with Drutojan Express were converted from meter-gauge to broad-gauge. Ekota Express has a load of 13/26 and can hold up to 1,200 passengers.

On 16 December 2016, railway coaches of Ekota Express along with Drutojan Express were changed with newer ones imported from Indonesia.

On 11 November 2018, the route of Ekota and Drutojan Express were extended from Dhaka–Dinajpur to Dhaka–Panchagarh. As a result, the shuttle train service between Dinajpur and Panchagarh was closed.

References