The government will ensure adequate fuel supply for public transport from March 15 and has ruled out any increase in fuel prices during the Eid-ul-Fitr travel season.
Speaking to reporters after inspecting Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka, Minister for Road Transport and Bridges, Railways, and Shipping Sheikh Rabiul Alam said on Friday that there is no risk of public transport fares increasing due to fuel issues, nor will there be any transport crisis caused by fuel shortages.
Describing Eid travel as reasonably smooth so far, he said that while the online ticketing system experienced heavy traffic, all passengers received tickets fairly. Around 3.7 million people attempted to purchase tickets when advance sales began on March 3, with approximately 36,000 tickets sold in line with railway capacity.
On the first day of Eid travel, 21 trains departed for their destinations, with most running on time. Two trains were delayed by approximately 40 minutes due to lingering effects from an earlier accident that had caused delays of up to three hours. The minister said those delays have been reduced significantly and the trains are expected to run on schedule within the next two days.
To accommodate the surge in passengers, railways have added around 124 coaches, 14 additional coaches on meter-gauge lines, and five pairs of special trains on broad-gauge lines. This will allow the railway to serve between 36,000 and 42,000 passengers daily, he said.
The minister noted that at least 85 to 87 locomotives are needed to maintain normal schedules, with 78 currently operational. Additional locomotives will be added within two days to improve the situation further.
Acknowledging that unexpected incidents may occur during the travel rush, he assured that authorities are prepared to handle disruptions quickly and urged passengers to remain patient and cooperative during any difficulties.
He added that the Prime Minister has directed efforts to modernize and make rail transport more passenger-friendly, enabling people to travel long distances comfortably in less time.
