STATES AND UNION TERRITORIES OF INDIA
WEST BENGAL - Info & Snippets
* 21 Jun 2026
Paschimbanga Divas (West Bengal Day) was first
officially observed on June 20, 2026. June 20, is of immense
significance in West Bengal’s history. This was the day that ensured
West Bengal remained an integral part of India. Chief Minister Suvendu
Adhikari has described June 20 as one of the most
important and destiny-defining days in the history of West Bengal. The
decision of the West Bengal Government to officially commemorate
Paschimbanga Divas on 20th June marks an important recognition of a
defining chapter in the state’s history.
Hindu Mahasabha leader Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who was leading
the
Bengali Hindu Homeland movement, emerged as the principal advocate of
partitioning Bengal, arguing that if India was to be divided, the
province’s Hindu-majority western districts should remain within India.
He opposed proposals for a sovereign and undivided Bengal championed by
leaders such as Sarat Chandra Bose and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy.
The decisive moment arrived on June 20, 1947. At a joint sitting,
legislators voted 58-21 in favour of a united Bengal. But separate
meetings of representatives from eastern and western Bengal produced
sharply divergent outcomes. Members from western Bengal voted in favour
of partition and joining
India, while legislators from eastern Bengal voted for joining Pakistan.
Those votes paved the way for the birth of West Bengal and East Bengal,
the latter becoming East Pakistan before emerging as Bangladesh in 1971.
Yet despite its historical significance, June 20 never acquired official
prominence after Independence. Successive Congress, Left Front and TMC
governments did not institutionalise the date as a major state
observance.
Sources: FB (BJP West Bengal) ; ddnews.gov.in ; theprint.in
Paschimbanga (also spelled Paschim Banga) is the literal Bengali name
for the Indian state of West Bengal.Paschim means "West". Banga means
"Bengal" (derived from the ancient Vanga kingdom).
* 3 Apr 2026
5 Indian Railway stations that connect to other countries, 4 of which are located in West Bengal and 1 in Bihar.
- Haldibari Railway Station
Located 4.5 km from the Bangladesh border in West Bengal, Haldibari
Railway Station connects with Chilhati Station in Bangladesh.
Operational since December 2020, the Mitali Express began its service in
2021, running from New Jalpaiguri Junction to Dhaka, with a stop at
Haldibari.
- Singhabad Railway Station
Located in Malda district, West Bengal, this is an important freight
transit point linking to Rohanpur in Bangladesh and to Nepal.
- Petrapole Railway Station
Located in the North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, this station
connects to Benapole in Bangladesh and is the starting point for the
Bandhan Express that runs between Kolkata and Khulna. is a crucial hub
for both passenger (need valid passports and visas) and freight
services.
- Radhikapur Railway Station
Located in West Bengal near the Bangladesh border in Uttar Dinajpur, it
connects directly to Biral Railway Station in Bangladesh. Mainly
handling freight, it plays a big role in boosting trade between India’s
eastern states like Assam and Bihar and parts of Bangladesh.
- Jaynagar Railway Station In Bihar’s Madhubani district
Sources:
5 Indian Railway stations that connect you to other countries, ET Online, 15 Jan 15 2025
India’s International Train Links: These 5 Indian Stations Connect You To Another Country By Train, Zee Media Bureau, 6 Jun 2025
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