Train tickets not available in Sylhet, passengers much suffer
S A Shofiee, Sylhet :
Trains on the Sylhet route are running with almost half of their capacity. Even though intercity trains on the Sylhet-Dhaka and Sylhet-Chittagong routes are running, they are not getting enough tickets as per demand. As a result, the railway is losing lakhs of taka per trip. In this situation, passengers are demanding an increase in the number of coaches. The authorities have assured to take necessary steps to solve the problem.
Long queues of passengers for tickets at the Sylhet railway station are now a daily occurrence. Although everything seems normal from the outside, the real picture of the railway inside is completely different – intercity trains are running in a coach crisis.
Although Sylhet’s importance as a tourist city is increasing day by day, passengers complain that the train communication system has not been developed much. Although six intercity trains to Dhaka and Chittagong run regularly, the number of coaches on these trains is much less than the demand. Due to this, passengers are suffering because they cannot get tickets on time.
Many people return empty-handed after standing in line for hours at the station to get tickets. Some say that they are not getting tickets even after trying online in advance. Again, those who are traveling in general class have to travel in crowded conditions due to lack of space inside the train.
In this situation, the people of Sylhet have demanded an immediate increase in the number of railway coaches and improvement in the quality of passenger service.
Suman, a passenger who is suffering from not getting a ticket at the Sylhet railway station, said, “When the ticket is not available even after standing in line for hours, then we are forced to buy a standing ticket. It becomes difficult on a long journey, especially if you are with small children, the level of suffering increases even more. I get tired of looking for a seat. So I am demanding an immediate increase in the number of coaches – this is the only way to reduce the suffering of passengers.”
Another passenger Mamun said, “The number of train passengers in the country is much higher than that of buses, but there are no coaches in the train accordingly. As a result, passengers are suffering every day. However, we are hopeful that those working in the railway sector will definitely change this situation soon. We are walking with the hope that we will get better rail services in the future.’
Sumi Begum, who is angry about the coach crisis, said, ‘This problem is not today, it is long-standing. We have complained repeatedly, but the railway sector in an important and expatriate-populated region like Sylhet has always been ignored. Even though there is a demand for tickets, proper service is not being provided. However, there is a lot of potential for the railway here. If the coaches are not increased quickly, the suffering of passengers will continue to increase. Therefore, we want urgent action to be taken considering the passenger demand of Sylhet.’
Sylhet President of Citizens for Good Governance (SUJON), Faruk Mahmud Chowdhury, said, ‘The government must take effective steps quickly to get out of such a miserable situation of the railway. For a long time, we as passengers have been without guardians. We are passing our days in one crisis after another. When will this situation change, that is the demand of the time.’
Sylhet Railway authorities say that although there is a capacity to add 22 coaches to the new engine, only 13 coaches are currently being used. As a result, where 7 lakh taka is being spent on each trip, the income is only 5 lakh taka. This is causing the railway to lose 2 lakh taka per trip. However, the process of procuring new coaches from India and Indonesia is underway. If this initiative is implemented, the railway crisis in the Sylhet region will be resolved to a large extent.
Sylhet Railway Station Manager Nurul Islam said, “The demand for tickets is high, but due to the shortage of coaches, we are not able to meet that demand. On the one hand, the suffering of passengers is increasing, and on the other hand, the railway is facing a revenue deficit. If sufficient coaches are added, it is possible to overcome this crisis and double the revenue income. Discussions are already underway with higher authorities to solve the problem.”
Meanwhile, in 1891, the construction of railway lines in the eastern part of Bengal was started by the Assam Bengal Railway. Sylhet Railway Station was opened between 1912 and 1915, which is still considered one of the most important railway junctions in the country.
