BR to introduce five pairs of special trains during Eid-ul-Azha

“The special passenger trains will start operating from May 13” while the Eid-ul-Azha is likely to be celebrated on May 27 or 28 depending the moon sighting in line with the Arabic Calendar,  a BR spokesman said today.

He said intercity trains weekly off days would remain suspended due to the festival to carry extra number of passengers from May 23 until the day before Eid to and extra carriages would be attached to these trains to handle onrush of travelers.

He said the Railways Ministry today took the decision in consultation with BR officials while advance tickets would be available for Eid travel from May 13 and return tickets from May 21.

The State Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Railways Habibur Rashid chaired the meeting at the Railway Bhaban today when the decision was taken.

The BR spokesman said the special trains would be operated on routes including Chattogram–Chandpur, Dhaka–Dewanganj, and Joydebpur–Parbatipur, to facilitate travel of passengers and carrying the sacrificial cattle.

“All tickets to be sold exclusively through online platforms while the special services will continue until June 4,” the official said.

Railways Ministry Secretary Md. Fahimul Islam, BR Director General Md. Afzal Hossain, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md. Sarwar and other concerned officials joined the meeting.

A railways ministry statement, meanwhile, said special measures would be taken to prevent ticket black marketing, rooftop traveling and strengthen security particularly in railway stations and smoothen passenger services during their Eid journey.

Officials familiar with the meeting said police and its specialized anti-crime unit Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) would deploy extra personnel to enforce vigils alongside railway police unit and BR’s own security force called RNB, reports BSS.