Bangladesh Railway adding 84 more local, commuter trains between Sept 10 and 16

Eighty-four more trains -- mostly local and commuter -- are going to be added to the fleet between September 10 and 16, as Bangladesh Railway (BR) is trying to normalise service.

However, BR will continue to operate trains at half capacity, according to a circular signed by Deputy Director (traffic transportation) Khairul Kabir yesterday.

The 84 trains will bring the total number of trains in operation to 218 as BR is gradually increasing trains in its fleet, Shariful Islam, senior information officer of Railways Ministry said.

The rest 144 mail and local trains would resume operation gradually, he told The Daily Star today.

The authority has started selling all tickets of local, mail and commuter trains from stations from September 5.

In another circular issued yesterday, BR said it will start selling 50 percent tickets of intercity trains from the stations from September 12 while other 50 percent tickets would be sold out through online.

After resumption of train services, BR has been selling all tickets of intercity trains online.

Out of 84 trains, 28 will resume operation from Thursday while 20 will resume operation on September 13 and the rest on September 16, according to the circular.

BR started resuming operation of rail services from May 31, more than two months after the authority suspended operation of passenger trains on March 24 to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the country.