BR takes spl steps for carrying vegetables from N dists to capital as per PM's order
Friday, 28 August 2009
RANGPUR, Aug 27 (BSS): Authorities of Bangladesh Railway (BR) have taken special steps for carrying vegetables and other perishable essential commodities at lower costs from northern region of the country to the capital city, officials said.
The steps were taken following instructions of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Ministry of Communications from last February to speed up smooth transportation of vegetables and keep their prices at reasonable level in the retail markets of the capital.
Besides, a special Parcel Express Train, initially containing 10 bogies with 34 tonnes capacity each, will be commissioned on the Parbotipur-Tejgaon route from Friday or Saturday for carrying vegetables and other perishable essential commodities.
BR Director General Mohammad Belayet Hossain Thursday told the news agency that as per the instructions, intercity trains Lalmoni Express, Ekota Express and Drutojan started carrying vegetables to Dhaka using one bogy each from the region since last February.
One more luggage van was attached Thursday to each of the three intercity trains running from Lalmonirhat and Dinajpur to Dhaka via many northern districts for further facilitating transportation of vegetables during the month of Ramadan.
Divisional Railway Manager of BR's Lalmonirhat Railway Division Kazi Rafikul Alam said that the Lalmoni Express Intercity train had been carrying vegetables using luggage vans since last February and conducting publicity.
While talking to the news agency, BR Joint Director General (Operations) M Shahjahan said that more steps would be taken to further facilitate carrying vegetables from the northern region to Dhaka if the traders responded positively.
The BR authorities began advertising the initiative through the national news papers and announcing by loud speakers in the concerned rail station areas since the beginning to attract the concerned businessmen for availing of the opportunity.
The senior BR officials also asked the media workers for playing due role to encourage the concerned businessmen and vegetables traders by their writings and publications in utilising the low-cost carrying facilities being provided by the railway service.
According to the transport sector sources and vegetables traders, fair of a big-sized truck capable of carrying up to 7.0 to 10 tonnes vegetables ranges from Tk 12,000 to Tk 16,000 from Naogaon, Joypurhat, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram to Dhaka.
The same varies from Tk 15,000 to Tk 19,000 from these districts to the port city of Chittagong. These truck fares are excluded of all sorts of toll collections, extortions, tolls at Bangabandhu Bridge and other costs, the sources said.
On the other hand, the fixed transport cost of the BR for every kilogramme of vegetables or other perishable commodities stands at Tk 1.07 that is Tk 1,070 per tonne from any point of the country to the other areas.
The steps were taken following instructions of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Ministry of Communications from last February to speed up smooth transportation of vegetables and keep their prices at reasonable level in the retail markets of the capital.
Besides, a special Parcel Express Train, initially containing 10 bogies with 34 tonnes capacity each, will be commissioned on the Parbotipur-Tejgaon route from Friday or Saturday for carrying vegetables and other perishable essential commodities.
BR Director General Mohammad Belayet Hossain Thursday told the news agency that as per the instructions, intercity trains Lalmoni Express, Ekota Express and Drutojan started carrying vegetables to Dhaka using one bogy each from the region since last February.
One more luggage van was attached Thursday to each of the three intercity trains running from Lalmonirhat and Dinajpur to Dhaka via many northern districts for further facilitating transportation of vegetables during the month of Ramadan.
Divisional Railway Manager of BR's Lalmonirhat Railway Division Kazi Rafikul Alam said that the Lalmoni Express Intercity train had been carrying vegetables using luggage vans since last February and conducting publicity.
While talking to the news agency, BR Joint Director General (Operations) M Shahjahan said that more steps would be taken to further facilitate carrying vegetables from the northern region to Dhaka if the traders responded positively.
The BR authorities began advertising the initiative through the national news papers and announcing by loud speakers in the concerned rail station areas since the beginning to attract the concerned businessmen for availing of the opportunity.
The senior BR officials also asked the media workers for playing due role to encourage the concerned businessmen and vegetables traders by their writings and publications in utilising the low-cost carrying facilities being provided by the railway service.
According to the transport sector sources and vegetables traders, fair of a big-sized truck capable of carrying up to 7.0 to 10 tonnes vegetables ranges from Tk 12,000 to Tk 16,000 from Naogaon, Joypurhat, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram to Dhaka.
The same varies from Tk 15,000 to Tk 19,000 from these districts to the port city of Chittagong. These truck fares are excluded of all sorts of toll collections, extortions, tolls at Bangabandhu Bridge and other costs, the sources said.
On the other hand, the fixed transport cost of the BR for every kilogramme of vegetables or other perishable commodities stands at Tk 1.07 that is Tk 1,070 per tonne from any point of the country to the other areas.