Amdadul Haque
After being suspended for just over two months, train and launch services across the country have restarted from Monday on a limited scale under strict guidelines of health safety and hygiene rules.
The government has decided to open all offices, businesses and transports to resume at a time when the country is facing its worst economic crisis amid the deadly coronavirus pandemic. The government has taken such a decision to resume operations in pursuit of life and livelihood amid the pandemic.
However, moving around Kamlapur Railway Station, the Bangladesh Post correspondent found a busy scenario where many people wearing masks are gathering to reach their respective destinations. Railway authorities arranged hand washing facilities for passengers coming to city’s Kamalapur railway station.
From Sunday morning, passengers were getting on the train at different stations of the country including Kamlapur railway station. Passengers were being allowed to board trains after checking their body temperature and cleaning their hands and feet with disinfectant.
Monir Uddin, a passenger at Kamlapur Railway platform told the Bangladesh Post that he was facing a completely new experience. It was like a different train journey in his view.
He said, “The Subarna Express left Chattogram for Dhaka at 7 am on Sunday. There was no commotion at the time of entering the Chattogram railway station. Passengers had to enter the station maintaining a distance of three meters. Wearing face masks, everyone's hands had to be cleansed with hand sanitizer while getting on the train.”
Visiting the platforms of Kamlapur Railway station, it was found that every compartment of the trains was clean. The disinfectant was sprayed all over the train. Hand sanitizer, tissues were kept in the washroom. The train's crews all were gloves and masks worn. It's like a different environment. Passengers were also satisfied with such management.
Aminul Hoque, station manager of Kamalapur Railway Station told the Bangladesh Post that they have started selling tickets through online from Saturday noon to avoid health risks.
“Passengers have been advised to come to the stations at least an hour ago, wearing masks, bring food and water, not to walk inside running trains, use designated doors to get on and down from trains and be seated keeping distances,” he added.
“However, no train left Dhaka till 1:00pm on Sunday while Kalni express was scheduled to start from Dhaka at 1:30pm, said the station manager. On Sunday, a total of seven trains were scheduled to leave Dhaka,” he added.
In the first phase, 8 intercity trains with half the capacity passengers have been operating across the country from Sunday. Suborno Express and Sonar Bangla Express trains will start services on Chattogram-Dhaka-Chattogram route from Sunday.
Meanwhile other trains like Kalni Express on Sylhet-Dhaka-Sylhet, Panchagarh Express on Bir Panchagar-Dhaka-Panchagar, Banalata Express on Chapainawabgnj-Dhaka-Chapainawabganj, Lalmoni Express on Lalmonirhat-Dhaka-Lalmonirhat, Udayan/Paharika Express on Chattogram-Sylhet-Chattogram, and Chitra Express on Khulna-Dhaka-Khulna routes would also start operating at the same time.
The price of tickets will remain the same as before, said Railway Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan at a press briefing at the Railway Bhaban on Saturday.
Each of the trains would be allowed to carry limited number of passengers, half of its capacity, and tickets would be sold through online only, the minister said, adding that the ticket selling for each route would start five days before the journey.
Passengers have to follow health safety guidelines during the journey and the rules will be strictly enforced by the authority, said the minister.
Later from June 3 (Wednesday), 11 more pairs of trains will run on other routes, the Minister added.
The routes are Teesta Express on Dhaka-Dewanganj-Dhaka, Benapole Express on Benapole-Dhaka-Benapole, Nilsagor Express on Chilahati-Dhaka-Chilahati, Rupsha Express on Khulna-Chilahati, Kopotakkho Express on Khulna-Rajshahi-Khulna, Madhumati Express on Rajshahi-Goalandaghat-Rajshahi, Meghna Express on Chandpur-Chattogram-Chandpur, Kishoreganj Express on Dhaka-Kishoreganj-Dhaka, Upakul Expess on Noakhali-Dhaka-Noakhali, Brahmaputra Express on Dewanganj Bazar-Dhaka-Dewanganj Bazar and Kurigram Express on Kurigram-Dhaka-Kurigram.
Passengers who intend to travel for a short distance – like Kamalapur to Dhaka Airport, Joydebpur, and Narsingdi – will not enjoy these services.
However, railway authorities said that no food would be provided on the train. Pillows and blankets will also not be provided in the sleeping berth class. No one can walk around their own compartment or go to another carriage.
All passengers have to use the toilet according to the rules. Passengers have to come to the station one hour before the train leaves. No one can enter the station without a ticket. Sick people cannot travel by train also.
Chittagong Railway station manager Ratan Kumar Chowdhury told Bangladesh Post over cell phone on Sunday noon that 387 out of 454 seats in the Subarna Express train were sold. The train with these 387 passengers left for Dhaka on time. Similarly, Sonar Bangla will leave at 5 pm and Udayan will leave Chattogram at 10.30 pm.
The railways ministry senior information officer Shariful Alam told the Bangladesh Post that they have started selling online tickets for Monday’s journey. The new system would remain applicable till June 15 and further decision in this regard would be taken as per government directives.
Meanwhile, the bus services are starting from today (Monday) after the general holiday. In this situation, the government has decided to start public transport conditionally in compliance with the health safety rules. The government has increased the fare by 60 percent on the condition of taking half the passengers in the bus, which will be effective from Monday.
A notification has been issued regarding Sunday (May 31). Earlier, the BRTA had proposed to increase the bus fare by 80 per cent in compliance with the conditions given by the government. In the face of their demand, the government increased the rent by 60 percent.
Besides, the government has also resumed limited launch services across the country since Sunday. After 66 days of shutdown, Shimulia launch and sea boat terminals have come back to life, boats are being used for crossing.
Launch operations from Sadarghat Terminal to different parts of the country also resumed on Sunday morning.
The joint director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Alamgir Kabir told Bangladesh Post that the first passenger vessel left the Sadarghat terminal for Chandpur at 7:15am on Sunday.
"We have installed disinfectant tunnels through which passengers have to enter the terminal. Besides we are providing hand sanitizer and marked seats to maintain social distancing," he said adding, “The presence of passengers is likely to increase in the evening when the Barishal bound launches would leave the terminal.”
However, the number of passengers is less than other usual days. The ferry ghat is also operating smoothly. Launch services were also suspended on March 24, two days before the government shutdown of most public and private offices and all public transport to contain the spread of Covid-19.