Advisor to the Ministry of Railways said some changes and new facilities in the train online ticketing system. Fawzul Kabir Khan.
He said this in a press conference on Tuesday (October 29) at Rail Bhavan in the capital regarding route rationalization of Bangladesh Railway and ensuring transparency and accountability in e-ticketing system.
Advisor Dr. Fawzul Kabir said, today there was a presentation. We got a lot there. A diagnostic (identification of some issues) has been done with the railway ticketing system.
Fawzul Kabir Khan said, Chaldal (online buying and selling platform) executive officer Wasim Ali, Daffodil University teacher. Fizar Ahmed and Anika Zara were present today. They said different things. All of them are good computer experts.
Regarding the complexity of buying tickets online, the advisor said, in their presentation, it was seen that they asked for tickets from Kamalapur, but they are not there. But from Tejgaon. Again there is no ticket for the 7 o’clock train, but there is for the 10 o’clock train. However, it is not known what its condition is.
He also said that the railway’s online ticketing system assistant Sahaj has been instructed to fix the matter.
Passengers should now be able to see it (ticket status)—when, where, from
Adviser said that there are many officials in the railways, who work here. But it is no one’s private property, it belongs to the people. It is not the case that railway secretary, minister has urgent work and others do not. We want to return the country to common people. Ticket distribution via verbal or telephone will be stopped from now on. Tickets are also allotted from different stations. Now if it is not sold at one station it will be available from another station. That too is said to be easy. We have decided on these issues.
Strict action will be taken against those who engage in black market, he said, strict action will be taken against those who are railway people. We want to get to the root of the problem. Everyone says, this government does nothing. But it will take time. We have tried to go deeper into the problem in the last one month.
Fawzul Kabir said in response to a question from journalists, “We don’t have enough locomotives (engines), we don’t have coaches.” We are working on them.
He said that trains will go where there are no passengers. And where there are passengers, there are no trains. Separate measures will be taken on the routes where expatriates go, such as: Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Chittagong.
Fawzul Kabir said, review of railway projects is going on. Many projects have happened earlier, which are less important. We are more cautious about the railway projects ahead. We will sit in front. We will inform you why any project has been excluded.
Regarding the railway contractor, the advisor said that the environment is not the same as before. Anyone can bid. That opportunity must be created. Now I go and see that two or three people are getting work. It won’t happen anymore. Everyone will get work. Rail and road should create that opportunity.
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Title: Revolutionizing Railway Ticketing: An Interview with Dr. Fawzul Kabir Khan
Interviewer (Time.news Editor): Good day, listeners! Today, we have a very special guest, Dr. Fawzul Kabir Khan, the Advisor to the Ministry of Railways of Bangladesh. He recently addressed some significant changes in the online ticketing system for Bangladesh Railway. Welcome, Dr. Khan!
Dr. Fawzul Kabir Khan: Thank you for having me! It’s a pleasure to be here and discuss these vital developments in our railway system.
Editor: Let’s dive right in. You mentioned some changes in the online ticketing system during your press conference. Can you elaborate on the key issues that were identified?
Dr. Khan: Absolutely. We had a presentation where we could diagnose several issues affecting the ticketing system. A significant concern was how passengers were unable to find tickets for certain trains at specific stations, like Kamalapur, while those for other times or routes were available from different stations, such as Tejgaon. This confusion has made the booking experience complicated for many.
Editor: It sounds like streamlining the system is a priority. What are the steps being taken to resolve these issues?
Dr. Khan: We have been instructing our team to enhance the functionality of our online ticketing assistant, Sahaj. Passengers will soon be able to immediately view ticket availability, including real-time updates on which stations have tickets and their respective statuses, so no one is left guessing.
Editor: That sounds promising. You also stated that ticket distribution through verbal or telephone requests would be discontinued. What prompted that decision?
Dr. Khan: This was a critical decision aimed at ensuring transparency and accessibility. Our railway system belongs to the people, not to any individual or department. Stopping verbal or telephone ticketing will eliminate favoritism and ensure that everyone has an equal chance to obtain tickets. It’s about returning the railway to the common people.
Editor: Speaking of equality, you mentioned that ticket availability would be more flexible, with tickets being allocated from different stations. How will that work?
Dr. Khan: Yes, that’s correct. If a ticket doesn’t sell out at one station, it will be made available at another station. This will maximize opportunities for passengers and minimize the likelihood of empty seats. Our goal here is efficiency and convenience for the user.
Editor: On the topic of consumer protection, you addressing black market activities is significant. Can you shed some light on the measures being implemented to combat this?
Dr. Khan: We are taking a strong stance against black market activities. Strict actions will be taken against any railway personnel engaged in such practices. We are committed to getting to the root of these issues and reinforcing that this government is dedicated to serving the public effectively.
Editor: Dr. Khan, your focus on transparency and accountability is commendable. How do you envision the future of railway travel in Bangladesh?
Dr. Khan: I envision a future where train travel is seamless and user-friendly. With these changes, passengers will experience less confusion and greater satisfaction. The aim is to foster a railway system that is responsive to the needs of its users, enhancing overall public trust in the services.
Editor: That’s a compelling vision! Thank you, Dr. Khan, for your insights and for sharing this significant update on our railway ticketing system. We look forward to seeing these improvements implemented.
Dr. Khan: Thank you for having me. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss these changes, and I hope to keep the public informed as we move forward.
Editor: And thank you to our listeners for tuning in! Until next time, stay informed and engaged.