Dhaka: Bangladesh Railway (BR) in a statement today assured that normal train services will not be disrupted due to the approval of four pairs of special trains that will operate tomorrow following the application from Jamaat-e-Islami for its grand rally.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, BR highlighted that misleading information has been circulating on various social media platforms concerning this issue. The statement clarified that such misinformation is being spread without understanding the historical context or precedent of BR's decision to allow special trains for political parties' events.
BR emphasized that there is a precedent for operating special trains for major programs of various political parties. Granting permission for such operations is routine for BR, provided a fixed fare is collected in response to applications from political parties for public gatherings or similar events.
The statement noted that if permission for special trains is denied, BR faces challenges in controlling ticketless passengers on regular trains. This situation often results in political party leaders and activists struggling to purchase tickets in time, leading to increased travel without tickets, which ultimately deprives BR of significant revenue.
By permitting the operation of special trains, party leaders and activists can travel upon payment of a fixed fare, allowing BR to earn the desired revenue. Additionally, the general passengers on other trains will experience less inconvenience.
The special trains will be operated using designated rakes that have weekly off-days. Since Saturday is a weekly holiday with typically lower passenger demand, the regular train services will remain unaffected.
For the Jamaat-e-Islami rally, the party paid approximately Taka 32 lakhs in advance for the special train fares, contributing to the railway's income. BR emphasized that this decision is purely commercial and not related to party politics. The decision follows established rules, and similar decisions will be made for any political party in the future. BR stressed that there is no basis for confusion or propaganda regarding this matter.