To Sreemangal on a train with HE Michael Miller!

With the end of April providing a rain-soothed layer of comfort over a sun scorched country, the month of May began with tell-tale signs of monsoon.
Some are saying, rainy season has arrived early but no one’s complaining!
In Bangladesh, rain and the rainy season are synonymous with poetry, lazy moments of reflection over countless cups of tea, romantic desires, hot khichuri and savouring the rain cleansed nature.

And, if it’s a train journey to Sreemangal, arguably one of the most scenic places of the country, then May promises to begin with a magnificent adventure.

It’s like chugging into the natural splendour of Bangladesh!

When the EU Ambassador to Bangladesh, Michael Miller said he would love to take a train journey to Sreemangal, I knew we were in for something extraordinary.

Noted train travel writer and journalist Mahmudul Islam, who had spent several years in Finland, decided to take an interview of the EU envoy on the train.

Talking about train on a train, what can be better, quipped Mahmud.

The topic: train journeys and how they impact our lives!

The placid cloudy morning of Friday, 1 May, only made the experience even more memorable.

Before the journey began, Ambassador Miller and his wife, Philippa Wood, met Shaju Kumar Das, one of the most celebrated train drivers, known popularly as Train Pilots.

With a social media following that would put many rock stars to shame, Shaju is the rockstar of the railways.

Looking dapper in black trousers and white shirt, he came and told the Ambassador that rail travel has its own cult in Bangladesh with a large number of adherents.

If you start rail travel you will be hooked and no other form of communication will appeal to you, asserted Shaju.

So why is rail travel so exciting?

For starters, the train brings people from diverse backgrounds in a space where personal interaction is possible because passengers can move freely from one buggy to another, said Shaju.

Then there’s the chance to stop at every station and observe the eclectic mixture of people, he added.

Reminds one of the famous line from John Donne: “no man is an island, every man is a piece of the continent!”

From a personal perspective, coming to Kamlapur Railway Station was a revelation because the last train I took was more than 25 years back, when, as a journalist, I had to cover the first full air-conditioned train service to Chattogram.

At that time, the efforts to upgrade the train service appeared laudable but so many years later what struck me was the presence of digital technology at all levels.

This has made the railway operation truly modern, remarked impressed fellow passenger Zahirul Islam Mamoon.

It’s fascinating to see that train pilots of today are so erudite, he added.
Shaju Kumar Das and others like him have added flair and swagger to the profession of train pilots, remarked Mahmudul Islam, the train travel writer.

Commenting on the overall Kamlapur Station, Michael Miller’s wife Philippa Wood said: “I am a regular traveller from Brussels to London and I must say, Kamlapur is less noisy.”

She also commended the structured way in which digital signboards are placed and are not being overshadowed by large adverts.

A handsome young man in an immaculate white suit was our attendant in the Jayantika Express and all his support staff were also in pristine attire.
Interestingly, one may expect railway staff in first class to dress properly but when coming back from Sreemangal, I along with my journalist friends were in Shobhon, non-ac, the segment for the masses and even there, the ticket collectors and other staffers were properly dressed, wearing ties and spotless white jackets.

The first-class cabins have commodes while the non-air- conditioned toilets, with pans, are also clean.

No stink anywhere, said Mamoon with a look of appreciation.

“Train tickets are in huge demand and it’s advisable to buy tickets when they are released, usually ten days in advance,” said Mahmud.

Taking into consideration the overall cleanliness of the train plus the arrival and departure efficiency, one can understand why most people are eager to travel on a train.

In addition to getting all kinds of food on the train, one gets toilet facilities plus regular tea and coffee service, added Mahmud.

Admiring the spacious double cabin room, Michael Miller, decided to open up about his favourite train related items.

For me the best train song is ‘Letter from America’, he said.
The number is by Scottish band The Proclaimers from their debut album, and it was among the top three hits in the Irish and UK charts in 1987.
While we were talking to Michael about train related trivia, Mamoon was deep in introspection with Bob Dylan’s ‘Slow Train Comin’ playing on the phone.

Of course, in Hollywood, there are quite a few train-based adventure and thriller films and, as a teenager, we watched The Train (1964), starring Burt Lancaster on BTV.

It’s a film about French underground resistance members trying to stop the stealing of French artwork by the Nazis.

The list also contains, The Lady Vanishes (1938), Night Train to Munich (1940), Strangers on a Train (1951), Von Ryan’s Express (1965), Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1968), Cassandra Crossing (1976), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), The First Great Train Robbery (1978), Death Train (1993).  
Speaking about train movies, Michael Miller chose James Bond’s second film.

“From Russia with Love is not a train film per se but there are several pivotal sequences on a train which have left a lasting impression on me,” enthused Michael, adding: “it’s also my favourite 007 film.”

No one can argue, From Russia with Love is a Bond masterpiece and, in 1961, US President John F Kennedy, mentioned it among his top ten books.
This presidential endorsement inevitably led film makers to choose this book as Bond’s second film adaptation.

Made with over $2 million, From Russia With Love made $78 million at the box office, carving out and securing the 007 cachet plus the franchise.
For me of course, Satyajit Ray’s Nayok (1966), starring Uttam Kumar is the Bangla masterpiece where Kumar plays the role of a celebrity actor, trying to overcome his inner demons during a train journey from Kolkata to Delhi.

Our own 1978 classic Golapi Ekhon Train E (1978) won 9 Awards for its portrayal of the late 70s social malaise and the post liberation angst.
This Eid, Bonolota Express has given us another train blockbuster – an engrossing social drama where a train is the setting for people from different backgrounds to leave their mercenary instincts to come together for a humane cause.

On long train journeys, people either prefer complete silence, using the continuous hum of the train to act as a catalyst for prolonged reflection or, they often like a trusted companion with whom they can talk freely.  
“Well, I would always love to have my wife as a companion,” added Ambassador Miller promptly and then observed: “however, if you are referring to friends then it has to be my buddy Andy from my childhood days with whom the chinwags can be endless and never tedious.”

From Sreemangal to Bhanugach, Mahmud took Michael Miller to sit at the front with the pilot of Jayantika Express to catch a glimpse of the natural beauty.

The Ambassador’s wide smile at the end of the journey said it all!
His final comment: “Thanks to Bangladesh Railways for our safe and efficient travel to Sreemangal.”

As we bid him goodbye for a weekend in the tea capital, it was already dark and a famous line came to mind: “sometimes, the light at the end of the tunnel is actually a train!”

* Towheed Feroze is a former journalist