Air-conditioned and first class compartments in trains

THE economy of Bangladesh is developing fast and purchasing power of the people has also enhanced over the years and they can now afford more comfortable train journey. As such to make train journeys more comfortable the Railway authorities should add air-conditioned compartments with every train. It is gradually becoming more of a necessity than luxury. Private bus owners already took advantage of the situation and introduced air-conditioned buses on different routes at fairly high fares.

As Bangladesh Railways (BR) were operating at a huge loss and as bus fares are much higher than train fares, increasing train fares in this way seems logical. Traveling by train is always more comfortable and safer than road transports and people can not take full advantage of railway journey due to lack of facilities in railways. They will always prefer train journeys if better facilities are provided. Most of the intending passengers cannot avail train service as air-conditioned and first class seats are very limited. Well-off passengers are compelled to travel by luxury buses at high fares and greater risks of accidents.

Happily, the present government took up projects for expanding and upgrading railway services. More driving engines, passenger bogies and goods bogies are being imported to make railways popular again among people. It is high time the authorities concerned should add air-cooled and first class passenger bogies also. It will reduce dependence on risky bus travel, increase income of Bangladesh Railways, and develop an environmentally friendly mode of transport for the people.

Mohammad Ashraf Hossain

120 Central Bashabo, Dhaka- 1214.

[email protected]