The interim government鈥檚 adviser for railways ministry, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, on Tuesday directed railway officials to stop booking train tickets following any requests.
鈥楾he railway is not anyone鈥檚 personal property,鈥� he said, adding that it is the property of people and everyone has access to it.
The adviser said, 鈥楴ot only advisers and secretaries have emergencies, but other people have their emergencies also.鈥�
He mentioned that this country became property of some people such as secretaries, advisers, ministers or their friends and relatives.
鈥榃e are now trying to hand over this country to the people,鈥� he said, adding, 鈥極rders via the telephone and the practice of distributing tickets in that way will be stopped entirely.鈥�
He said these at a press briefing held at Rail Bhaban in the capital.
The press briefing was followed by a meeting on route rationalisation of Bangladesh Railway and ensuring transparency and accountability in the E-ticketing system.
Fouzul Kabir Khan also said that they had directed Shohoz Limited to make the online ticketing system easier for the passengers.
The railway signed a contract with Shohoz-Synesis-Vincen JV on February 5, 2022, to 鈥榤ore effectively鈥� operate the ticketing system for five years.
He said that in railways sector the main reason for headache was the 鈥榦nline ticket system鈥�.
Although people do not get tickets online, these tickets could be found in the black market by paying extra Tk 200 to Tk 300, he said.聽
He gave directive for automatic display of information of available tickets at adjacent stations so that passengers could search for tickets.
The adviser also gave directive to form an expert committee headed by the railways ministry鈥檚 additional secretary for administration on route rationalisation and stopping black-marketing of tickets.聽聽
He said that under the route rationalisation the number of trains would be increased on the routes with high demands and the number of trains would be reduced on the routes with low demands.
Fouzul Kabir Khan also said that earlier only some 鈥榝avourite鈥� contractors got works while they were trying to give works to the new contractors.
Replying to the reporters, he mentioned that they were trying to increase the number of rolling stocks and reviewing some less important projects.
The briefing was attended, among others, by railways ministry secretary Abdul Baki and additional secretary Mohammad Rupam Anwar, Bangladesh Railway director general Sardar Shahadat Ali, Daffodil International University associate professor Fizar Ahmed,聽 Chaldal founder and chief executive officer Waseem Alim and information technology expert Anika Zara.
