Railway to sell advance interdistrict tickets online only

The Bangladesh Railway will sell all the advance tickets for interdistrict trains for the upcoming Eid ul-Fitr online in a bid to remove hassles, but the move could also prevent the marginal, technologically backward commuters from availing speedy travel services.

The organisation will start selling advance tickets for interdistrict trains from 7 April and advance return tickets from 15 April. Tickets for all other types of trains will be sold offline at counters. 

Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan made these disclosures during a press conference on Wednesday at Rail Bhaban in the capital. Any unexpected technological or other issues will be resolved in the next Eid, the minister added.

About 28,000 passengers can travel on interdistrict trains during Eid every day with their advance tickets bought online, and about 72,000 more will have to travel on other types of trains.

An interdistrict train allows speedier travel compared with its peers, meaning commuters having no internet access to buy advance tickets will have to put up with slower services.

Those who have no internet access but still wish to use interdistrict trains can do so if they are willing to remain standing on luxury class non-airconditioned coaches throughout the journey and their number cannot exceed 25% of the total seats of the special coaches.

When asked about barring interdistrict train facilities for those without internet access, the railways minister said, current statistics suggest the mobile user base in the country covers almost the entire population. It is difficult to find anyone not using a mobile phone these days and thus the online ticket selling decision matches realistic requirements, Nurul Islam Sujan said.

He further added that the interdistrict train capacity is 28,000 passengers per day, and his ministry is prioritising supporting this group at the best possible way – instead of taking on the impossible task of taking everyone on interdistrict trains.

Organisations advocating for passenger welfare have welcomed the move to ease hassles and remove irregularities through internet services, but have aired concerns that it would marginalise a big section of the commuters.

Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, secretary general of Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samiti, said online services would help remove irregularities but it could leave many marginal people without proper services even if they can financially afford these.

Authorities have to remember that railway is meant for mass communication, and discrimination against a big group of people by denying them speedy travel and other services, which is also contrary to constitutional provisions, should be avoided to make the scheme truly successful.

The railways minister said anyone can buy advance tickets only once for both home and return journey and can purchase tickets for up to four fellow passengers at each occasion.

To further ease hassles in this Eid, online ticket processing capacity has been increased to five lakh tickets per minute from 35,000 previously, authorities claimed.