Most of the advance train tickets sold out on Sunday at the Kamalapur railway station in the capital within four hours the authorities started selling the tickets for journey before and after the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr.
Many passengers did not get tickets for destinations like Chittagong and Dinajpur and many of them blamed poor management for their hazards.
Some passengers also talked about the mismanagements by the authorities.
The Bangladesh Railway started selling advance tickets for Eid from Sunday at Dhaka and Chittagong stations from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
The tickets for travelling on August 14 was available on August 5 (Sunday), August 15’s on August 6, August 16’s on August 7, August 17’s on August 8, and August 18’s on August 9.
Tickets for Chittagong-bound Turna-Nishitha, Chattala Express, Shuborna Express, Mahanagar Godhuli and Mahanagar Prabhati sold out within about two hours after sale started.
Tickets for Dinajpur-bound Nilsagar’s ticket sold out within three hours while the authorities did not sell tickets of Ekota Express as August 14 was this train’s holiday.
Tickets for Rajshahin-bound Silkcity’s sold out within three hours while the authorities did not sell tickets of Dhumketu Express as August 14 was this train’s holiday.
The booking counter for Chittagong-bound trains was found empty at 1:00pm while a notice at the women counter said there was no ticket for Turna Nishitha and Shuborna Express since 11:00am.
Mohammad Khairul and Mohammad Hasan, two Dinajpur residents, said they did not get any ticket for Dinajpur.
‘I am standing here from 4:00am but I did not get any ticket to go to Dinajpur on August 14,’ said Khairul, adding, ‘So I am trying to buy tickets of Rangpur’s train.’
Some angry people told New Age at 12:00am that tickets for Rajshahi-bound Silcity, Padma Express and Dhumketu sold out within three hours.
Mokul, a Rajshahi resident, said some 325 tickets were reserved for the VIPs.
‘My serial number is 200. How Rajshahi’s 3,000 tickets were finished within three hours?’ he asked.
The counter for selling Rajshahi-bound Padma Express’s tickets was kept shut for an hour from 11:30am to 12:30pm while the tickets of Silkcity sold out.
Liju, a Rampura resident, said there was only one line for women, which was not sufficient.
The Chittagong-Dinajpur-Rajshahi-bound people were shouting and asking the Railway Security Guards for tickets.
The Kamalapur railway station manager Mohammad Khairul Bashir told New Age that he would take action against the persons who would be found responsible for any corruption or if any official would close down any counter.
‘You have to understand that our tickets are limited,’ he said and added that they were selling 43,000 tickets for one train and there was a huge pressure of people.
Khairul Bashir said 160 pairs and special trains would be in operation to carry the home-bound people during Eid.
‘Representatives of law enforcing agencies like Rapid Action Battalion and our own security force are on guards at the station,’ he added.
-With New Age input
