Shafiqul Islam
After 49 days in a row, trains have started running across the country. Many trains have left Dhaka with seats half vacant as per the health rules. However, on the first day, the passenger was less at the station. The platforms were empty. On Monday (May 24) at 8:30 am at Kamalapur railway station, it was seen that the crowds of the passengers were less. Railway security forces and GRP police are ensuring that people board the train while maintaining social distances.
Passengers were seen sitting at least one seat apart in the Chittagong-bound Karnafuli commuter, standing on platform 7 at the station. The train left the station at 9 am and was scheduled to leave at 8:45 am. Earlier in the morning, Balaka commuter left for Jaria Janjail. The Sylhet-bound Parabat Express departed at 6:30 am and the Chittagong-bound Mahanagar Prabhati Express moved at 7:45 am.
The railway staff at the platform said arrangements have been made to pick up passengers in accordance with hygiene rules and social distance as per the government’s instructions. Many people do not know the news of long-haul transport movement on the first day, so the passenger pressure was pretty low.
Although there is talk of keeping the seats half empty, there are more seats than that due to few passengers. Now that it has been started, passenger pressure will gradually increase.
Kamalapur station manager Mohammad Masud Sarwar said the train was running with half the passengers in compliance with the hygiene rules. The train has been sanitized. Passengers are being sprayed with disinfectant. The train has left at 4 in the morning. Hygiene is being followed in all of them.
Meanwhile, Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan told reporters at an event at the Railway House on Sunday (May 23) that they have decided to run the train from Monday, leaving half the seats vacant in compliance with all government directives and health regulations. At present there are 108 intercity trains. Of these, 28 pairs of intercity and 9 pairs of local trains started running across the country from Monday (May 24). Although half of the seats were vacant, the train fare did not increase. Tickets must be purchased online. According to a message from the railways, tickets for each train will be sold through online. There will be no tickets without seats. So, it has been requested to refrain from crowding the counter unnecessarily. No passenger can enter the station or travel by train without a ticket. Do not travel by train without special needs. Passengers must use mask. No passenger without a mask will be allowed to enter the station or travel by train.
Inter-district buses started plying highways from Sunday midnight, keeping up to 50 percent of their seats empty as per the government directives.
DMP joint commissioner (traffic north) Abu Raihan Mohammad Saleh, said, “The operation of long-haul buses resumed on Sunday midnight following the government’s announcement to allow operation of long-route buses with 50 percent passengers.”
The government earlier allowed public transport to resume operations in city corporation areas from May 6. Launch services resumed on Monday, after nearly two months, as those remained suspended as part of lockdown enforced to contain coronavirus transmission.
Joint Director BIWTA at Sadarghat terminal Gulzar said “The launch services resumed around 6 am with the operation of a Chandpur-bound launch. Later, the launch operation on other routes resumed.”
