National or other valid ID mandatory for train tickets
A couple of days back the shipping ministry decided that NIDs or birth certificates will be required for launch-travel
Anyone planning to travel by train must provide a national identification (NID) card or other valid proof of identification in order to buy tickets.
"The move aims to ensure the security of passengers and stop tickets from being sold on the black market," Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan said at a Rail Bhaban press conference on Wednesday.
The Bangladesh Railway is going to start advance train ticket sales from 23 April on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. Travellers can buy tickets from counters as well as online.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Travellers must show their NID cards in order to buy tickets. A person can buy up to four tickets at a time but must provide an NID or other valid card for accompanying passengers as well, the minister added.
However, if a person does not have a NID card, they have to provide their birth registration certificate, student ID card or any other form of identification, he added.
He said tickets will be sold at five locations – Kamalapur, Airport, Banani, and Tejgaon railway stations, and Fulbaria – in the capital.
Advance train tickets for 27 April will be available on 23 April while tickets for 28-30 April and 1 May will be available on 24, 25, 26 and 27 April respectively.
The sale of tickets will begin at 8 am and continue till 4pm, while online tickets will be available from 8:00 am.
Return journey tickets will be sold from 1 May. Advance purchase of tickets for 5, 6, 7 and 8 May will be available on 1, 2, 3 and 4 May respectively.
Six pairs of special trains will run on different routes on the occasion of Eid and tickets for those trains will not be sold online, the minister said.
50% tickets for 26,663 seats on outbound trains from Dhaka will be sold from counters and the remaining 50% will be sold online.
Advance purchase train tickets will be non-refundable, he said.
The minister noted that an extra compartment will be added to every intercity train for women and disabled persons.
No intercity train will run on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, he added.
Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest religious festival of Muslims, will be celebrated on 3 May, subject to the appearance of the moon.
