'Special trains for Jamaat rally won't hamper regular services'

Train, representational image.

Dhaka, July 19 — The Ministry of Railways has said that the operation of four pairs of special trains, approved for Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami's rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on Saturday, will not disrupt regular train services.

In a media release issued on Friday, the ministry said that misleading propaganda was circulating on social media regarding the special train operations. 

“A section is spreading biased and inaccurate information on social media, ignoring the historical precedent of Bangladesh Railway approving special trains for political gatherings upon application,” it added.

The ministry explained that operating special trains for large public events is a longstanding practice and a commercially justified decision. There are previous examples where special trains were operated for various political parties' programmes, subject to formal applications and payment of fixed fares.

It also mentioned that denying such requests can lead to increased ticketless travel on regular trains, as party supporters may not have sufficient time or access to buy tickets. This not only causes revenue losses but also creates additional pressure on regular passengers.

In contrast, special trains enable organised travel with advance fare payments, benefiting both passengers and Bangladesh Railway.

The four pairs of special trains will be operated using rakes that usually remain idle on weekly off-days. As the event falls on a Saturday—a public holiday—passenger demand is typically lower, ensuring there is no impact on regular services, said the ministry.

For the Jamaat-e-Islami rally, the organisers have already paid approximately Tk 32 lakh in advance for the special trains, directly contributing to railway revenue.

The ministry added that this approval is completely a commercial decision, not a political one, and aligns with existing rules.

Similar requests from any political party will be considered in the same manner. So, there is no scope for confusion or political propaganda on the matter, said the ministry. - UNB