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Lalmonirhat Train Route

Ticketless travel goes up during political unrest

Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat
In the wake of recent blockades and hartals, the number of passengers travelling by trains without tickets on Lalmonirhat-Burimari route has increased.
As road links remained snapped in the area due to the programmes, locals were totally dependent on train journey.
Railway officials said, at least 1,000 passengers travel in two local trains on the route every day, but ticket sales dropped after the start of political unrest.
Only 12 tickets were sold from Lalmonirhat Railway Station for Burimari-bound train till noon on January 6. It rose to 152 after Assistant Traffic Superintendent of Lalmonirhat Railway Division Sajjad Hossain conducted a drive for ten minutes on the day.
Train ticket examiners (TTE) said they did not dare to ask the passengers to show tickets, fearing harassment.
"Some of our colleagues were harassed by a good number of passengers as they charged them for traveling without tickets," said ticket examiner Zahurul Islam.
The situation is yet to improve much, he said.
Rozina Khatun, ticket-counter manager at Lalmonirhat Railway Station, said they usually sell around 450 to 500 tickets for each of the two trains running on Lal monirhat -Burimari route. It had tumbled 90 percent due to frequent hartal and blockade, she added.
Umar Farooque, goods booking assistant at the station, said passengers also carried goods without paying freight charges.
Assistant Traffic
Superintendent Sajjad Hossain, however, said he could not conduct any drive to catch the passengers traveling without tickets since he was engaged in emergency work at the control room.
"If the train ticket examiners (TTE) and train ticket collector (TTC) perform their duties without fear, travelling without tickets must be stopped," he said, adding that he will take necessary steps in this regard soon.
The situation has started to improve as the main opposition decided to go for peaceful programme, he added.
However, a few train passengers told this cor-respondent at Lalmonirhat Railway Station that they did not collect tickets during the opposition programmes as they were not sure when the train would leave the station.