Dhaka: Railways Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan announced today that the government is implementing strategies to enhance the economic viability of Bangladesh Railway by minimizing losses and addressing corruption. ‘Bangladesh Railway is a losing institution. Taka 2.5 is spent for every Taka one earned. There are two reasons behind this – corruption and wastage in the railways. We are taking effective measures to reduce this wastage and corruption,’ he stated.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the adviser made these remarks during the inauguration of a new pair of commuter trains on the Dhaka-Narasingdi-Bhairab Bazar route and the upgrading of coaches for the Narayanganj Commuter Train on the Dhaka-Narayanganj route at Kamalapur Railway Station. Fouzul Kabir highlighted the low pricing of railway services and noted that fare evasion by passengers could lead to a reduction in services due to increasing losses.
The adviser also addressed the ongoing locomotive crisis, mentioning the shortage of railway locomotives and coaches. He emphasized the necessity of operating trains with outdated coaches and expressed efforts to acquire new ones. The event was attended by Railways Secretary Md. Fahimul Islam, Director General of Bangladesh Railways Mohammad Afzal Hossain, and other senior officials.