Excitement as train service from Cox’s Bazar starts
Cox's Bazar Express started its maiden journey to the capital from Cox's Bazar Railway Station yesterday.
With 1,020 passengers, the train, comprising 20 carriages, left Cox's Bazar at 12:30pm, station master Golam Rabbani told The Daily Star.
The train was supposed to take eight hours and 10 minutes to reach its destination, said Bangladesh Railway sources.
It reached Kamalapur Railway Station around 10:00pm, said a traveller of the train.
Passengers expressed their overwhelming joy after getting the opportunity to take the first ride on the train.
Sajib Ali, a staffer of Max Construction Ltd, a firm involved in the construction of the Cox's Bazar Iconic Rail Station, said, "I can't express my feelings in words as I was involved in the rail station construction and now become one of the first passengers of the train. It feels like I'm going home after a big achievement."
Bithi Khatun, a resident of Dhaka, said her in-laws' home is in Cox's Bazar and never thought that they would get a train on Cox's Bazar route. "Today I'm the happiest person for being one of the first passengers of the train."
Abdul Awal Rana, the train driver, said he could not believe that he was operating this train that which is making history.
Railways Ministry Secretary Humayun Kabir inaugurated the first commercial train journey. Before the train left the station, he told reporters that those 1,020 passengers became a part of history.
This will bring prosperity to Cox's Bazar tourism and business, he added.
Mentioning that the demand for trains is increasing rapidly, he said tickets for the next 10 days have already been booked in advance.
The number of carriages will be increased due to the growing demand for tickets, but the number of trains will not go up soon, he said.
Muhammad Shaheen Imran, Cox's Bazar deputy commissioner, and senior railway officials were present.
According to railway sources, two types of tickets -- Shobhon and AC chair -- are currently available for the Cox's Bazar Express train.
From Dhaka to Cox's Bazar, the price for a Shobhon class ticket is Tk 695 and Snigdha AC chair is Tk 1,325.
On November 11, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated Chattogram-Cox's Bazar rail line.
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