The train schedule at Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka has gone haywire over the last two days ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. Several North-bound trains were behind schedule, leaving holidaymakers in trouble amid sweltering heat.
Panchagarh-bound Ekata Express, Dhumketu Express and Silk City Express, Chapainawabganj-bound Banalata Express, Khulna-bound Sundarban Express, Chilahati-bound Nilsagar Express, and Rangpur Express trains were more than two hours late on Friday.
Passengers’ suffering reached its peak due to the delays amid the oppressive heat, reports bdnews24.com.
“Trains are always late during Eid journeys. I arrived at the station with my family in the morning. But the train was late to arrive,” said Sazzad Hossian, a passenger of Sundarban Express that departed at 11 am, nearly three hours behind schedule.
The passengers at the Airport Railway Station also faced delays in train departures amid the hot and humid weather in Dhaka.
Sylhet-bound Jayantika Express train was scheduled to arrive at the station from Kamalapur at 11:45am but it did not reach the station until 2 pm.
“We bought tickets in advance but it made no sense. We've been waiting at the station for several hours. My little child is really upset. It’s not clear why the condition is so bad this year,” said Wazedul Islam, who was travelling to Brahmanbaria.
North-bound Ekata Express was more than three hours late. “The station master asked us to wait, but we don’t know when the waiting will end,” passenger Razia Begum said.
A total of 65 trains were scheduled to depart Kamalapur Railway Station on Friday. Among them, 25 trains had left the station until 3pm, said Md Aminul Haque, an assistant transport officer of Bangladesh Railway.
“The trains are taking time to return to Dhaka due to the pressure of passengers. The passengers are taking time to get on and off the trains,” he explained.
