Passengers suffer as return train schedule in disarray

Disruption in train schedules causes immense sufferings to passengers in several northern districts as a large number of people are on their return journey, especially to the capital Dhaka, for joining work after the Eid-ul-Azha holidays. 

Around one thousand passengers badly suffered as Lalmonirhat-Dhaka Eid special train, scheduled to depart at 9:30pm on Sunday from Lalmonirhat, finally started from there after long 25 hours, around 10:30pm on Monday night, reports our Lalmonirhat correspondent.

Passengers staged demonstration there on Monday evening as they were yet to know for certain when the train would arrive.

Golam Mostafa, an employee of a non-government office in Dhaka, said he and his family members were waiting for the train at the station from 8:00pm on Sunday night for getting the special train.

People wait at Dinajpur railway station for their scheduled trains yesterday. Photo: Star

“I was asked to join work today [Monday] but I am here at Lalmonirhat as the train is yet to arrive,” he said on Monday afternoon.

“I failed to join my office today [Monday] as the Lalmonirhat-Dhaka Eid Special train is too late,” said Enamul Haque Pramanik, a government service holder in Dhaka.

“I collected tickets for me and four other family members to get on the special train on Sunday night but I got the train a day later. The unusual delay of the Eid Special train caused special suffering to us,” said Mahasin Ali.

Another passenger, Ashraful Islam said his wife got sick at the station platform due to long wait for the train.

On the occasion of Eid, a special train was arranged from August 5 to 10 before the Eid and from August 14 to 18 after the Eid under West Zone Railway’s Lalmonirhat Division.

Divisional Railway Manager Shafiqur Rahman declined to say why the train was late for 25 hours in the last day journey.

Lalmonirhat station sources, seeking anonymity, said the train was late for 12 hours in the journey and another 13 hours due to a technical fault at the station.

Our Dinajpur Correspondent reports: Schedule collapse of almost all the intercity trains under Western Zone of Bangladesh Railway (BR) causes immense sufferings to passengers.

Panchagarh Express intercity train of Dhaka-Panchagarh route was scheduled to reach Dinajpur Railway station at 8:10am yesterday but arrived seven hours later, said Nargis Pramanik, stationmaster of Dinajpur Railway Station.

Ekota Express, which was supposed to reach Dinajpur Railway station at 4:40am yesterday, arrived at 9:35am.

However, all the trains heading for Dhaka departed as per schedule, said the stationmaster.

Dhaka-bound Drutazan Express, which left Panchagarh at 7:20am Tuesday and arrived at Dinajpur station at 9:30am (only 20 minutes behind the schedule) was already overcrowded and many people were seen getting on its roof to go to their destinations.

This correspondent found a large number of people waiting at Dinajpur station since morning to board their scheduled trains.

Other stations in the district also saw huge crowds.

“All the trains of railway’s West Zone including Panchagarh Express, Rangpur Express, Nilsagar express, Ekota Express, Drutazan Express and Lalmoni Express are now running three to ten hours behind the schedule,” said Aminul Haque Jewel, manager of Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka.

Overloading of passengers and extension of stoppage time are the main reasons for the train schedule collapse, he said.

“The Dhaka-bound trains are carrying three to four times more passengers than their usual capacity while the stoppage time is often extended up to fifteen minutes against the scheduled five minutes, considering safety of passengers. The situation will hopefully improve after a few days,” he added.