Dearth of tickets mounts woes of Eid passengers in Ctg

Our Correspondent

CHATTOGRAM, Apr 30: Homebound people suffer a lot in the port city as advance train and bus tickets have been sold out earlier. Many people were seen waiting in the long queue to buy train tickets from counters at Chattogram Railway Station.

Sources said the Bangladesh Railway authority has arranged special trains and added extra bogies to each train for homebound people. But tickets had been sold out last week. A few tickets are being sold only to the railway officers and employees on Saturday.

Bangladesh Railway sold advance tickets from the railway station in Chattogram to different routes on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. A number of passengers complained today that train tickets were not available even though they stood in the queue for hours. But the ticket counters rejected the allegation, saying that they had enough tickets.

Chattogram Railway Station Manager Ratan Kumar Chowdhury said tickets had been sold out earlier. "But many people are coming to buy train tickets till today."

Superintendent of Police of Railway Police in Chattogram Mohammed Hasan Chowdhury said railway police are carrying out their duties to ensure the security of passengers.

Despite the crisis of train and bus tickets, many people have already left for their village home to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of the Muslims.

However, Chattogram port, the prime seaport of the country, will continue its operation under special arrangements during Eid holidays.

Omar Faruk, secretary at Chittagong Port Authority said, "Chattogram port will remain open during the Eid holidays. The operational activities of the main seaport will remain closed from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm only on Eid day. On other days, the port will be operating under special arrangements."

nazim07@yahoo.com

Dearth of tickets mount woes of Eid passengers in Ctg