The sale of advance train tickets for Eid-ul-Fitr holidaymakers from Dhaka to other districts will start from Apr 23 while bus authorities have decided to begin selling of advance ticket from Apr 15.
The homebound passengers who will leave the capital to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with their near and dear ones will be able to procure their advance tickets for the train services from Apr 23 and advance bus tickets from Apr 15, said Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan on Wednesday (Apr 13).
The minister came up with the remarks at a press conference held at the conference room of the Rail Bhaban in Dhaka, local media reported.
He also added that the train and bus tickets will be sold considering May 3 as the possible Eid day.
As per the possible Eid day, the ticket for Apr 27 will be sold on Apr 23 while for April 28 ticket to be sold on Apr 24, Apr 29's ticket on Apr 25; Apr 30's ticket on Apr 26 and May 1's ticket on Apr 27, he said.
Tickets can be purchased in both ways such as via online or going at the counters, he said, adding that besides, the Ministry of Railways has decided to run 6 pairs of special trains alongside the normal trains.
Of the special trains, Chandpur Special 1 and 2 will run on Chattogram-Chandpur-Chattogram road from Apr 29 to May 1 before Eid and from May 4 to May 8 after Eid.
The Dewanganj special train will run on Dhaka-Dewanganj-Dhaka road from April 29 to May 1 and from May 4 to May 8.
Khulna Special train (through Maitree rack) will run on Khulna-Dhaka-Khulna road from Apr 29 to May 1.
Solakia Special-1 train on Bhairab Bazar-Kishoreganj-Bhairab Bazar road and Sholakia Special-2 on Mymensingh-Kishoreganj-Mymensingh road will run only on Eid day.
In order to implement the slogan 'Ticket Jar, Vromon Tar', passengers have to purchase the ticket by showing their National Identity Cards or (NIDs) or the photocopy of their birth certificates at counter.
The advance tickets for Eid will be sold through e-ticketing on the internet from 8 a.m.
Eid advance ticket sales will continue at the counter from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and each ticketing center will have a counter for women and persons with disabilities.
Each intercity train will have one separate coach for female and disabled passengers only.
A passenger can purchase a maximum of 4 tickets at a time and the sold tickets in advance will not be refunded.
No tickets for special train will be available online and in order to purchase it, passenger has to come to the station's counters.
Tickets will be sold from 5 centers in Dhaka city to reduce passenger pressure in city's Kamalapur Railway Station.
Tickets of all westbound and Khulna bound special trains will be sold from Dhaka (Kamalapur) while all tickets of the intercity trains of Chattogram and Noakhali from Dhaka Airport.
Tickets of all intercity trains of Mymensingh and Jamalpur including Dewanganj specials will be sold from Tejgaon station.
Tickets of Mohanganj bound and Haor Express trains will be available from Dhaka Cantonment.
Tickets of all intercity train of Sylhet and Kishoreganj will be available from Fulbaria (old railway station).
Meanwhile, the bus companies will start selling advance bus tickets for the Eid journey from the morning of Apr 15.
Shubhankar Ghosh Rakesh, joint general secretary of the Bus confirmed the decision to sell advance tickets from April 15 at a meeting of bus owners on Monday.
The bus fare will be sold as per the fare fixed by Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA). Additional fair out of the rent chart cannot be taken. Advance tickets for Apr 26 will be given on Apr 15, he added.
