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Home Rush for Eid

Hard to get train tickets

Pankaj Karmakar
All the woes and sufferings are for enjoying a few days with the near and dear ones during the Eid holidays for which thousands of city dwellers wait all the year round.
Defying traffic gridlock, rainfall, fasting and daily business, thousands of people thronged the Kamalapur Railway Station to secure their tickets ahead of the festival.
Ticket-seekers were seen standing in long queues hours after hours yesterday, the first day of sale of advance tickets by Bangladesh Railway. According to the schedule, train tickets for August 14 were sold yesterday, while tickets for August 15 would be sold today, tickets for August 16 tomorrow, tickets for August 17 on August 8 and the tickets for August 18 on August9.
Many people had been waiting at the station since Saturday night to take advantageous position in the front of the queues.
"I came here at 8:00 last night [Saturday]. I have got tickets now at 10:30 [Sunday] in the morning," said Rafiqul Islam, who brought tickets of Rangpur Express for August 14.
"But my pains and sufferings will disappear by the pleasant moments with my parents during the Eid," he smiled.
However, many people could not buy tickets despite waiting for hours as the tickets for many routes were sold out bynoon.
During a visit to the railway station, it was noticed that tickets of Padma Express (Dhaka-Rajshahi), Drutajan Express (Dhaka-Dinajpur), Turna Express and Godhuli Express (Dhaka-Chittagong), Nilsagar Express (Dhaka-Nilphamari) were sold out by
1:30pm.
Dhaka Divisional Railway Manager Shahdat Hossain said demand for tickets is much higher than accommodation. That is why the tickets were sold much earlier than the deadline.
Around 20,000 tickets of different intercity trains were sold yesterday, he informed.
Failing to secure tickets for August 14, many passengers were seen standing in queues for tickets of August 15 since noon yesterday, although tickets for August 15 would be put on sale today at 9:00am.
"I am standing here to get tickets tomorrow [Monday] morning. During this period I will have to stay here," said Akram Hossain, who stood in the queue at around 1:45pm for ticket of Padma Express.
The law-enforcement agencies have beefed up security measures in and around the station to maintain law and order.
At least 21 members Rab, 100 members of Railway Nirapatta Bahini (RNB) and dozens b government railway police (GRP) have been deployed, insiders said.
Meanwhile, advance tickets of most of the reputed bus services for August 14,15 and 16are almost soldout.
"Tickets of these three days
of most of the routes have been sold a day before. There are only some reserved seats for owners' associations and workers associations,” said an employee of Kalyanpur counterofSRTravels.
During a visit to Gabtoli bus terminal, many passengers were seen complaining about ticket prices, which they alleged were much higher than normal rates.
"Usually I travel at Tk 600 from Dhaka to Panchagarh. But today they charged Tk 670 for the same destination," said Raju Ahmed at the counterofSRTravels.
Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners' Association President ASM Ali Khabir Chand denied the allegations and said all the bus operators have been directed to charge the government-set fares.
"If any bus companies charge higher, they will be issued a show-cause notice.
Meanwhile, the launch owners are set to start selling advance tickets from August lOaheadoftheEid.
"We will increase the numberoftripsin accordance with the increasing number of passengers from August 14," said Shahabuddin Milon, vice-president of Bangladesh Inland Waterways (passenger carrier's) Association.