Eid journey: Crowds grow at Kamalapur Railway Station as train services start

The Eid ul-Fitr train service officially began today (24 March) with the departure of the Dhumketu Express train to Rajshahi from Dhaka's Kamalapur Railway Station at 6am.

While the station was relatively calm in the early morning hours, by midday, the number of passengers steadily increased, creating a significant crowd at Kamalapur. 

Like the previous years, no passengers without tickets were allowed to enter the platform.

Despite the crowd, passengers with tickets found the platform relatively comfortable. They were able to board their trains without much hassle.

Shahan Ara, a passenger on the Jamalpur Express, said, "There may be more crowd towards the end, so I am leaving early with my children and elderly mother-in-law. There is some crowd today, but it's not causing any major problems. Since no one is allowed to enter without a ticket, there are no extra people on the platform. Those who left before me also boarded the train smoothly."

Jahangir Alam's family, also travelling on the same train, mentioned, "There will be a heavy crowd in a day or two, so I am sending my family home early. I'll manage to go somehow at the last minute, but for now, I'm ensuring that my family travels comfortably."

To prevent unauthorized people from entering the platform, Kamalapur Railway Station has implemented a three-tier checking system.

The first check takes place in the parking area, where passengers without tickets are issued standing tickets. The second check occurs at the ticket counters, followed by the final check before passengers are allowed onto the platform.

To maintain law and order, police, RAB, and railway security forces are present at the station.

Shahadat Hossain, the station manager of Dhaka Railway Station, said, "The Eid journey has started today. Naturally, there is more passenger pressure today compared to other days. However, we have taken all necessary measures to ensure that the Eid journey is comfortable, safe, and secure for all passengers."

He added that a total of 43 intercity trains and 25 mail and commuter trains will depart from Dhaka Station throughout the day.