The Bangladesh Railway (BR) will have to pay Tk 500 million to passengers as demurrage from its total loss of Tk 563.64 million caused since the spread of violence for suspending trains after ticket sale.
According to estimation, tickets valued at Tk 325.82 million were sold for the trains in eastern zone and valued at Tk 180.40 million for trains in western zone which the BR has to bear the loss for not operating any trains since July 18.
The state-owned train operator sold 80 per cent of train tickets online and 20 per cent in counters 10 days before the schedule of trains.
As the train services in the country were suspended on July 18, the last day of selling train tickets was July 28.
"We'll refund all tickets' money after the resumption of the network as well as train services," said Nahid Hasan Khan, deputy director at the Public Relations.
He also said the BR's tickets are sold in two different ways, so refunding the tickets' money needs to synchronise with the system.
The BR has no option to repay the fund to passengers through its hundreds of counters in different stations.
It will start paying back money from the counters after selling tickets for the trains on the day's schedule after resumption.
The BR, however, has posted a message on online ticket refund in its ticket apps after resumption of the network as the passengers pay the ticket fares through e-payment.
However, the BR has yet not taken plan to resume the train services till Sunday.
BR Director General Sardar Shahadat Ali told the FE that after getting green signal from the government, the train service will be resumed.
Replying to a query, he said from the day one, ticket sales through online and counters will begin.
"Trains will leave their respective stations whatever tickets will be sold or passengers will be available."
Railway Secretary Dr Humayun Ahmed also said that the train services have been kept suspended following an executive order to ensure safety of the railway's property as well as safety of passengers.
In every unrest situation, the BR faces a loss for damaging carriage and locomotives of trains.
He also said during the curfew relaxation, the train operation cannot be carried out as specific trains cannot complete two way journeys.
According to BR estimation on loss in the ongoing unrest period, eastern zone lost Tk 379.91 million, including for damaging train glasses, rail crossings, station building, locomotive glass and headlights, signalling and electricity.
It is estimated the loss in train glasses and equipment of Sonar Bangla Cox's Bazar and Parabat Express and three coaches of Kishoreganj express at Tk 32.69 million. In western zone, the total loss was Tk 183.73 million.
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