For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Advance train tickets for Eid-ul-Fitr travel will go on sale from Mar 3, with all tickets to be sold online, the railway ministry has announced.
Return tickets will be available from Mar 13, bdnews24.com reports.
Bangladesh Railway will operate five pairs of special trains alongside regular intercity services to manage the rush of homebound passengers, according to a statement issued on Wednesday following a preparatory meeting at Rail Bhaban.
Advance tickets for travel between Mar 13 and Mar 19 will be sold from Mar 3 to Mar 9. Tickets for Mar 13 travel will be sold on Mar 3, for Mar 14 on Mar 4, and so on, with tickets for Mar 19 available on Mar 9.
Tickets for Mar 20, 21 and 22 will be sold subject to the sighting of the moon.
For return journeys, tickets for Mar 23 will go on sale on Mar 13, for Mar 24 on Mar 14, continuing in the same sequence. Tickets for Mar 29 will be sold on Mar 19.
Passengers will be allowed to purchase up to four tickets at a time for both outbound and return journeys. The tickets will be non-refundable.
On the day of travel, 25 percent of total seats will be sold as standing tickets at station counters.
Weekly off-days for intercity trains will remain suspended from Mar 16 until the day before Eid. Regular weekly closures will resume after the holiday.
From 12:01am on Mar 19 until 6pm on Eid day, goods trains, except those carrying containers and fuel oil, will remain suspended.
Security will be tightened at major stations including Dhaka, Airport, Joydebpur, Chattogram, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Rajshahi and Khulna, with coordination among GRP, RNB, BGB, RAB and local police. Authorities said surveillance measures would be in place to prevent ticketless passengers from entering stations.
The railway authorities also urged the public to inform law enforcement agencies if fake ticket-selling links appear on social media.
Special Eid trains
Five pairs of special trains will operate on the Chattogram–Chandpur, Dhaka–Dewanganj, Bhairab Bazar–Kishoreganj, Mymensingh–Kishoreganj and Joydebpur–Parbatipur routes.
“Chandpur Eid Special-1” will depart Chattogram at 3:30pm and arrive in Chandpur at 8:20pm. The return service, “Chandpur Eid Special-2”, will leave Chandpur at 4am and reach Chattogram at 8:50am.
On the Dhaka–Dewanganj route, “Teesta Special-3” will depart Dhaka at 9:30am and arrive in Dewanganj at 3:30pm, while “Teesta Special-4” will leave Dewanganj at 4:30pm and reach Dhaka at 10:15pm.
“Sholakia Eid Special-5” will run from Bhairab Bazar to Kishoreganj at 6am, arriving at 8am. The return train, “Sholakia Eid Special-6”, will leave at 12pm and arrive at 2pm.
On the Mymensingh–Kishoreganj route, “Sholakia Eid Special-7” will depart at 5:45am and arrive at 8:30am, while “Sholakia Eid Special-8” will leave at 12pm and reach Mymensingh at 3pm.
“Parbatipur Eid Special-9” will depart Joydebpur at 7pm and arrive in Parbatipur at 2:30am. The return service, “Parbatipur Eid Special-10”, will leave at 8:15am and reach Joydebpur at 2:20pm.