Legal action if anyone asks for illegal benefits mentioning high-ups: Railway
Bangladesh Railway has directed not to provide any illegal benefits asked for on trains, mentioning names of railway high-ups, and to take action as per law against such persons.
The instructions were given in a letter signed by the railway minister's private secretary Mohammad Atiqur Rahman today, (May 8, 2022).
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Similar letters had been sent four times in the past from the railway ministry.
According to the letter, recently it has been observed again that introducing themselves as relatives, family members, friends or acquaintances of the private secretary and assistant private secretary to the railway minister without their knowledge, some people demanded special facilities onboard trains, demanding train tickets at various railway stations.
In addition to this, many people using the reference of the minister's private secretary, assistant private secretary and private officials ask for illegal benefits and favours over the phone from various project directors of Bangladesh Railways, mentioned the letter.
It added that when the railway minister was informed about the matter, he directed taking legal action against them. He also sent their mobile phone numbers to law enforcement agencies and instructed them to identify them.
In such cases, instructions have also been given to the concerned official and staff members of Bangladesh Railways not to get confused and not to carry out any activities outside the official process.
On Friday, Travelling Ticket Examiner Shafiqul Islam, of Bangladesh Railway's Pakshey division in Pabna's Ishwardi upazila, was suspended – a day after he fined three passengers travelling on the Dhaka-bound "Sundarbans Express" without tickets. The three introduced themselves as railway minister's relatives.
The suspension order was given without following proper procedure, said Railways Minister Nurul Islam today.
He further said they have decided to issue a show-cause notice against the Divisional Commercial Officer of Pakshey for issuing such an order.
"Shafiqul Islam's suspension order has been withdrawn today. He will be able to join work now," Shahidul Islam, divisional railway manager of Bangladesh Railway (Pakshey Zone), told reporters at a press briefing this afternoon.
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