British-era Badiyakhali railway station lies uncared for

GAIBANDHA, Feb 04: Commuters face problems for lack of basic facilities such as toilets and sheds at Badiyakhali railway station in the district, which was set up during the British period.
The authorities concerned allegedly show reluctance to do maintenance work on the railway station.
Over 14 trains run on the route every day and hundreds of passengers travel from the station to different places in the country.
But, once there was no stoppage of any express train at the station. Dolanchanpa Express which runs from Santahar of Bogura to Dinajpur now stops at Badiyakhali railway station.
Former Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan arranged it with effect from January 1 last year as local people had long been clamouring for it. But no other facilities have been improved.
During a visit to the station, this correspondent found a small tin-shed waiting room. When it rains, water trickles down from the roof.
There are platforms on both sides, but those are not concrete-coated. The station has only a 40-feet narrow concrete passage. Passengers find it difficult to board trains through the passage.
The septic tank of the toilet in the second class restroom is in a sorry state. Horrid stench emanates from it, damaging the station's atmosphere.
There are no sheds on the platforms. So, commuters have to suffer during the sunny or rainy days.
Md Saidul Islam, a passenger, said, "I travel to different places from the station. On many occasions, I have to wait for trains. I face troubles as there are no passenger shelters and public toilets."
"So, the station needs platforms with passenger shelters and public toilets immediately to ensure basic amenities of the passengers.
Another passenger, Mosharraf Hossain, said the railway station was built during the British era. Since then, it has not got witnessed any development. So, the station needs to be modernised immediately.
When the attention was drawn to the issues, Badiyakhali railway stationmaster Md Nazrul Islam told The Financial Express that only five seats of every train running from here had been allocated for Santahar station and five seats for Rangpur station. No seats were allocated for other stations despite high demands.
"The number of seats is very few for passengers of the station. So, we can't provide seats on demand," he said.
"If more seats are allocated for the station, passengers will get benefits, Subsequently, government's revenue will increase, he said.
Asked about the platforms, public toilets and passenger shelters, he said, "We've informed the higher authorities of the matter and the renovation work will start soon."
Kazi Abdul Khalek, convener of the committee that demanded stoppage of Dolanchapa Express Train at the station, said stoppage of the express train brought much relief to the passengers going to Rangpur and Bogura. But the number of seats was few compared to the demand.
"Therefore, I fervently request the authorities concerned to increase the number of seats for this station," he said.
He also said he had spoken to the general manager (GM) at Rajshahi Western Region of the Bangladesh Railway. He had assured him of solving the problems the passengers were facing at the station.

[email protected]