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BR Enhances Measures for a Safe and Comfortable Eid Journey
With Eid-ul-Fitr approaching, millions of people are returning home to celebrate the festival with family and loved ones, and as always, trains remain the preferred mode of transport. Passengers opt for rail travel due to better services, online ticketing options, enhanced security, and time efficiency.
On March 17, Bangladesh Railway's app and website saw nearly 2.5 crore hits, with 35,913 tickets sold. As of now, no tickets are left unsold, signaling strong demand.
To ensure a safe, comfortable, and festive Eid journey, Bangladesh Railway (BR) has implemented various initiatives. Special security measures are in place at Dhaka’s Kamalapur and Joydevpur stations in Gazipur. Additional personnel from the Railway Police, Railway Security Force, RAB, APBN, Ansar, and fire services will be stationed at intercity stations nationwide. CCTV surveillance will operate round-the-clock, and medical teams will be available at Kamalapur and Dhaka Airport railway stations.
BR has also stepped up efforts to prevent black market ticketing and ensure no one travels without a valid ticket or on the roof of trains. The Ministry of Railways has issued directives to stop private train owners from selling extra tickets.
Moreover, local train tickets and platform access have been restricted to streamline the boarding process. At Kamalapur station, homebound passengers are arriving early, entering the platform in an orderly fashion. Passengers without tickets are being fined, and there is no sign of chaos.
To further improve service, BR has adjusted ticket sales: tickets for the western zone are sold at 8 am, and for the eastern zone at 2 pm. Despite heavy traffic on the website and app during peak hours, the system has remained stable, with no server issues reported.
Sanjeev Debnath, CEO of ticketing partner Shojhoz.com, praised the smooth online experience, adding that customers can now view real-time availability and receive suggestions for alternative stations if a desired ticket is unavailable.
Bangladesh Railway began selling advance tickets online on March 14, with special trains running in addition to the regular 120 intercity trains. Five pairs of special trains will also operate, along with local, commuter, and mail trains.
Security forces have been mobilized to ensure safety at stations. Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, Dhaka Divisional Commandant of the Railway Security Force, confirmed an additional 200 Ansar members have been deployed, alongside the existing 490 personnel. At Kamalapur, a three-level security system will be in place to ensure passengers' safety.
Kamalapur Station Master Shahadat Hossain assured that the trains would operate on time, and overall, BR is committed to making this Eid journey smooth and secure.
BR Director General Md. Afzal Hossain emphasized the importance of maintaining safety, particularly preventing roof travel, and reaffirmed that the railway's security forces will strictly enforce these measures at key stations.