Train services across the country suffered massive schedule mismatch on Saturday, amid ongoing foggy weather and extra pressure of passengers.
The trains of different routes were 3.0 to 8.0 hours behind their respective schedules, raising woes of the travellers, according to a spot account from Kamalapur Railway Station (KRS) in the city.
The sufferings particularly of children, women and elderly people seemed unbearable.
The passengers in a large number opted for train journey to avoid journey on highways, considering it risky for their dilapidated condition and dense fog, a passenger told the FE at the KRS.
The Nilaphamri-bound Nilsagor Express was 8.0 hours late on the day as it left KRS at 4.20 pm, causing immense sufferings for the passengers bound for the northern region of the country.
Md Khalequzzaman, a NGO executive, said he was waiting for the train since morning.
"I'm here with my sister, who comes to Dhaka for her treatment. The cardiac patient has been asked for a smooth journey," he said.
He alleged that one or two hours could be negotiable, but the setback has made normal people sick.
The Khulna-bound Sundarban Express also suffered the same glitch as it was 3.5 hours late on the day.
At least 10 trains missed their respective schedules, creating hazards for thousands of people waiting at the KRS.
The Chittagong-bound Sonar Bangla, Karnaphuli Express, Mohanagar Provati, Jamalpur-bound Teesta Express, Ogneebina Express, Dhumketu Express and Silk City of Rajshahi, Netrokona-bound Mohua Express, North-Bengal bound Rangapur Express and Ekota Express also witnessed schedule breakdowns.
Passengers, especially women, children and elderly people suffer a lot amid shortage of food, resting places and toilet facilities as the station authorities were unable to provide adequate services to such increased number of people, an official at Bangladesh Railway (BR) said.
He said the situation turned worse on the routes where passengers are carried by a single train from and to Dhaka like that of Nilsagor Express and Rangpur Express.
"The Nilsagor Express, which was scheduled to leave Nilphamari Station at 10.00 pm on Friday, started its journey on Saturday 5.00 am and reached KRS on 4.00 pm on the day," he said.
He said the fog caused the trains to be delayed while departing from the local stations and, for this, were reaching Dhaka much later. The trains had to reduce the speed too due to the fog.
However, the met office in its 72-hour forecast said moderate to thick fog might occur over the river basins and light to moderate fog may occur elsewhere over the country during the mid-night till morning.
KRS manager Shitangshu Kumar Chakravarty told the FE that the pressure of passengers has increased by three folds this year, following heavy rain and flooding that damaged roads and highways severely.
People were now opting for journey by trains to avoid husky and painful journey on highways, he added.
He said the passengers at some local stations, having no official stoppage for many inter-city trains, were forcefully stopping the trains, causing the delays.
He also recognised that the capacity of the trains has not been increased as compared to the increased number of passengers.
According to BR, it has capacity to carry 0.116 million passengers across the country a day through 90 bi-directional inter-city, 52 mail or express, 64 commuters (DEMU) and 135 local trains against demand for more than 1.0 million of passengers.
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