Railway and Road Transport and Bridges Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan on Tuesday has stated that the railway is an affordable mode of transportation, allowing travel at minimal cost. However, our railway faces various challenges.
He made this statement this morning at the official inauguration ceremony of the Dhaka-Khulna-Dhaka route at Dhaka Railway Station (Kamalapur).
He said, “You need to understand why the railway cannot provide the desired services. We have shortages of engines, coaches, and manpower. With limited personnel, railway workers are shouldering significant responsibilities.”
The Railway Advisor further added, ‘The current state of our railway is largely due to wasteful expenditures. Stations have been constructed indiscriminately, and lines extended without assessing the availability of engines, coaches, or manpower.”
He added, "The costs of our projects are significantly higher compared to neighbouring countries. I urge all engineers to find ways to reduce these expenses. If we cannot cut costs, we won't be able to meet the expectations of our railway services."
Addressing general passengers, he said, "Everyone expects the train to stop near their home and also desires to reach their destination quickly. This isn't feasible. The more stops you add, the longer the travel time becomes. There's a growing notion that every place needs a railway station and that every train should stop at every station. This isn't a good trend. Trains will stop where there are more passengers and where revenue can be generated."
The Railway Advisor emphasised, "The railway is a commercial entity and must cover its expenses through its earnings. The government is providing subsidies across various sectors, but how long can this continue? Therefore, we need to be cost-effective."
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
