Eid holidaymakers suffer for train schedule disruption

Eid holidaymakers suffered immensely today following disruption in the schedules of a number of trains on different routes particularly of those that run in the country’s northern districts.

The homebound people have been waiting for hours at Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka since morning due to the unexpected delay of the train movement.

Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan visited the railway station in the morning and apologised for the disruption in the train schedule on the first day of the weekend ahead of the Eid.

“We can’t ensure hundred per cent smooth journey for the holidaymakers but we are trying our best,” the minister told reporters at the railway station.

A total of 18 trains left Dhaka till 10:00am while the schedules of four trains were disrupted, the minister said.

“I’m really sorry for this and it won’t happen from tomorrow,” he said while briefing reporters at the station.

While visiting the Kamalapur Railway Station, our staff correspondent found that, the Rangpur Express which was scheduled to leave the station 2:10 pm according to the revised time chart but it did not touch the platform till 2:15pm.

Besides, the Rajshahi-bound Dhumketu Express was delayed by two hours and 15 minutes, Sylhet-bound Chalantika was scheduled to leave the platform 12:00pm but it did not reach the station till 12:30pm.

Talking to The Daily Star, one Sumi Akhtar, a third-year honors student of Jagannath University, who is also a passenger of Rangpur Express said she will reach Gaibandha station around 2:00am even if the train leaves Dhaka around 2:00pm.

“I will feel insecure if I reach the station at that time. And thus, I told my father to stay at the station until my arrival,” she said.

Like Sumi, a number of homebound people shared their same concerns due to the fall of the train schedules.

UNB adds: Around two crore people live in the capital for jobs and they leave the capital to celebrate Eid with their near and dear ones, Nurul said, adding, “We’re trying to provide good services.”

He also said the railway stations of the country will be upgraded to international standards using modern technologies.

Advance train ticket sales for Eid began on May 22 but people suffered a lot to avail themselves of tickets through apps due to technical glitches on the first day of advance ticket sales.