Authorities today officially launched end to end customs and immigration services for the passengers of Maitree Express to make rail journey between Dhaka to Kolkata and return more comfortable and cutting down the duration of the trip.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi inaugurated the services yesterday through video conference. Railways Minister Md Mazibul Hoque today paid a visit to Kamalapur Railway Station to inspect the service.

"With the launching of this service, sufferings of the passengers will go down significantly. All the customs and immigration services will be completed at the starting and ending points of the journey. The duration of the journey will be reduced by two hours also," Hoque told newsmen.

The Maitree Express train runs between Dhaka-Kolkata six days a week now with Thursday as weekly holiday.

According to railways authorities, all the 456 seats were sold out on the first day of launching of the end to end customs and immigration service.