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Thousands crowd stations, tickets on black market

Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat
Several thousand people yesterday crowded Lalmonirhat Railway Station, but they didn't get tickets from the station counters to return to their workplaces in Dhaka and other parts of the country.
These people came to their village homes to celebrate Eid with their near and dear ones. Some of them alleged that they had to buy tickets from black markets at high prices as their Eid holidays ended yesterday.
This correspondent saw a good number of passengers boarding trains at the station without tickets and standing in the aisles.
Akikul Islam, 45, of Durakuti village in Sadar upazila, said he managed four tickets from a counter in the morning, but he did not get any seat as double tickets were sold against each seat.
Delwar Rahman, 42, of Saptibari village in Aditmari upazila, said, "I went to the station in the morning, but I didn't get any ticket. The ticket seller at the counter told me that they had sold out all train tickets".
Delwar alleged that he later bought three tickets from a broker on the platform, giving him more than double the regular fare.
Monowar Hossain, 50, of Thana Road in the town, alleged that the person holding the charge of the ticket counters is involved in selling tickets to the brokers. "I along with my family members is going to Dhaka by train without ticket," he said.
Contacted, Station Master Mahbub Islam refuted the allegation of selling tickets to brokers.
Assistant Traffic Superintendent (ATS) of Lalmonirhat Railway Division Sajjad Hossain said only 140 tickets for Lalmonirhat Express and 40 tickets for Karatoa Express were given to Lalmonirhat Railway Station for sale. So, a large number of passengers were deprived of tickets at the station, he said.
Similar situation was seen at Ishwardi bypass station where many Dhaka-bound passengers had to buy tickets from black market, reports our Pabna correspondent.
Md Amirul Islam of Rooppur village in Ishwardi upazila told the correspondent that he had bought a ticket from a broker for Tk 450 instead ofTk 270.
"I could not manage a ticket with seat number from the counter. So, I had to manage a ticket from black market, "said advocate Ranjul Islam, who practises at the High Court.
Black marketeers are active not only at Ishwardi by-pass station but also at many stations under Railway West Zone. While visiting Chatmohar Railway Station yesterday, the correspondent found no ticket with seat number is available at the ticket counter. Passengers bought tickets with seat numbers from black markets.
Sujit Kumar, divisional commercial officer of Railway Pakshey Division, said they are concerned at selling tickets on black market.
The Railway authorities have already punished assistant booking officers Md Rokonuzzaman of Ullapara station and Md Jahidul Islam of Chatmohar station for their alleged involvement in ticket scam, he added.