Dhaka: Bangladesh Railway (BR) has intensified its drives against land grabbers to recover its occupied land, achieving a significant milestone by reclaiming nearly 20 acres in the last three months. Bangladesh Railway conducted a total of 27 eviction drives across 447 infrastructures between August and October, successfully recovering 19.21 acres of occupied land, as per a progress report on the works of different ministries and divisions.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing disclosed this document in light of the interim government’s three-month performance, led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. The report highlights that Bangladesh Railway has compiled a comprehensive list of its occupied lands, detailing specific information of 12,595 individuals and institutions/entities responsible for encroaching on railway property.
To maintain updated and integrated information on the lands, recover occupied territories, and enhance revenue, three meetings have been con
vened with senior officials from the Ministry of Railways and Bangladesh Railway in the past three months. Additionally, the report mentions an initiative to create a post of law officer at BR’s divisional estate offices to expedite legal proceedings related to railway land disputes.
Bangladesh Railway has also devised a time-bound reform work plan aimed at improving passenger services and bolstering institutional capacity, with steps already underway to implement these reforms. In collaboration with the Ministry of Railways, BR is forming a monitoring team to oversee all divisional railway stations, including two major stations in Dhaka. This team will conduct regular visits to railway stations and trains on various routes.
In a move to enhance passenger services, a call center was launched on September 17, 2024, with the number ‘131’, to address passenger complaints and improve service delivery. To ensure better rail services, regular mobile court drives have been intensified, and a technical team compris
ing representatives from Shohoj.com and Bangladesh Railway has been established to curb the black marketing of train tickets.