DHAKA, Mar 13, (V7N) – Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam said the government is working at maximum capacity to ensure a safe and comfortable Eid‑ul‑Fitr journey for millions of homebound passengers.

Speaking after inspecting Kamalapur Railway Station, the minister said 124 metre gauge and 14 broad gauge coaches have been added to intercity trains. In addition, five pairs of special trains will operate during Eid.

Advance online ticket sales began on March 3.

Around 37 lakh people attempted to buy tickets online; about 36,000 tickets were sold according to railway capacity.

Passengers were given 5–15 minutes for payment after booking, causing delays, but ultimately all buyers received tickets fairly.

On the first day of Eid travel, 21 trains departed, with most running on time. Two trains were delayed by 40 minutes due to an accident.

The minister said maximum preparations have been taken to carry passengers by road and waterways. Plans are underway to add new coaches, buses, and boats to increase transport capacity. Discipline in bus management is also being prioritized.

Strict measures are being taken to stop roof‑top travel on trains.

Security forces including railway police, highway police, naval police, regular police, Ansar members, and volunteers are deployed to ensure smooth journeys.

Rabiul Alam said passengers expressed satisfaction with services but voiced concerns about continuity. He assured: “We want to maintain the quality of rail service that passengers are seeing now at any cost. The quality of this service will be improved further in the future.”

He added that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed modernization of rail communication to make it more people‑friendly and efficient.

About 1.25–1.5 crore people leave Dhaka within two to three days during Eid, posing a major challenge. The minister said the government is working to address this with expanded transport capacity.

He confirmed there is no possibility of fuel price hikes, so public transport fares should remain stable.

State Minister for Railways and Road Transport Habibur Rashid, Railways Secretary Md Fahimul Islam, Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary Dr Mohammed Ziaul Haque, and Director General of Bangladesh Railway Md Afzal Hossain were present.

END/AJ/RH