Ctg DEMU fails to draw adequate passengers

The Chittagong circular train known as Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) is operating with such an inadequate number of passengers in the city every day that it does not even cover the train's fuel costs, according to railway officials.
Seeking anonymity, the officials said the train might have failed to draw enough passengers due to the stops being in inconvenient locations and poor ventilation inside the coaches.
According to the Mechanical Engineering Department of Bangladesh Railway (BR-East Zone), the circular train, which was inaugurated on May 25, runs within the port city twice every day, requiring some 170 litres of diesel worth around Tk 11,560.
But from May 25 to June 20 the number of passengers travelling in the three-coach train averages around 197 every day when it has the capacity to carry 600 people in the two trips, according to the Commercial Department of BR-East Zone.
This means that the earnings from the travel charges stand at Tk 2,952 and the loss at Tk 8,608. The railway suffers this loss every day only on the fuel costs. This is apart from other operational costs like salaries of staff and the train's maintenance expenses.
Md Tafazzal Hossain, general manager of BR-East Zone, said they did not review the positive and negative aspects of the train service, as it went into operation only a few days ago.
“We are yet to develop the facilities for the circular train,” he said, hoping that the number of passengers would gradually increase once the facilities, including adequate platforms, were in place.