NID verification begins on trains in Sylhet
S A Shofiee, Sylhet :
To prevent black marketing of train tickets in Sylhet, it has been made mandatory for passengers to carry their National Identity Cards (NIDs).
The operation began at 10:30 am on Friday (October 24) with the verification of tickets of passengers of the Paharika Express from Sylhet to Chittagong.
Executive Magistrate Poli Rani Deb, who participated in the operation, said that some passengers were fined for traveling without tickets on the first day.
On this day, in addition to ticket verification at the main gate of Sylhet Railway Station, the three rear gates were kept open. Taking this opportunity, passengers with tickets bought from black marketers and without tickets easily boarded the train. It is alleged that passengers without tickets were boarded in the rear compartment of the train in collusion with some dishonest railway employees and railway police.
During the operation, railway employee Mizanur Rahman was caught red-handed in front of the journalists present. He offered to take a journalist to Chittagong without a ticket for 600 taka and also put him on the train. Later, after revealing his identity, he denied it and tried to escape. Railway police member Qadir came forward to help him escape. He was also seen picking up passengers without tickets, although he denied the allegations.
Railway sources said that a ticket black market syndicate has been active at Sylhet station for a long time. Some officials, employees, railway police and security force members are involved in this syndicate. In today’s operation, it was alleged that although there is a check post at the main gate, the black market gang allows their passengers to board through the back gate.
Sylhet District Administration Assistant Commissioner (Land) Poli Rani Dev and South Surma Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Sihab Sarar Abhi were present in the operation. In addition, Railway Station Manager Muhammad Nurul Islam, railway officials, RAB, railway police and security force members were also present here.
After the operation, Magistrate Poli Rani Dev said that some passengers without tickets were fined on the first day. Legal action is being taken against them. The Deputy Commissioner has been informed about the unprotected western side of the station. Action will be taken very soon.
Meanwhile, there have been complaints of black market ticket sales at Sylhet Railway Station for a long time. Recently, due to the increasing traffic congestion on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway and the suffering of bus passengers, the demand for train tickets has suddenly increased. This has also increased the violence of black marketers. In view of this, Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Md. Sarwar Alam recently decided to make NID mandatory on trains to implement the slogan ‘Ticket holder, travel holder’. The program was officially launched from Friday.