Registration with NID must to get train ticket

The Bangladesh Railway (BR) has launched the 'Ticket Jar Bhraman Tar' programme making the registration with national identity card (NID) mandatory to purchase intercity train tickets.

Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan today inaugurated the programme formally at Kamalapur railway station in the city, said a press release.

On the occasion, he handed over 100 Point of Sales (PoS) machines to ticket-checkers for realizing the fares from those, who will travel without ticket.

Speaking about the new programme, the minister said, although the system has been initially introduced for intercity trains, it will be launched in all local train services gradually.

"We have taken a series of programmes to increase facilities for the passengers. We launched the 'Ticket Jar Bhraman Tar' programme to get rid of the allegations over train tickets," he added.

Since the new programme came into effect from today, passengers will no more be allowed to purchase intercity train tickets without registration using the NID.

Under the new system, from now, no one will be allowed to travel with tickets purchased using someone else's name. If anyone is found doing so, he or she will be treated as one travelling without a ticket and will be fined.

Only those who will purchase tickets will be able to travel, Sujan said, adding, "We have added the NID in purchasing tickets so that the passengers can get more facilities and can buy their own tickets without black marketing".

He said the allegations against the ticket-checkers that they don't deposit the money collected from travelers to the government exchequer will stop because of using the PoS machines as the money will be credited to the government treasury directly.

Noting that 50 percent tickets are sold online and 50 percent offline at stations, the minister said, "From today, the passengers will not require to go to the counter to cancel the ticket. Tickets can be canceled online".

Replying to a question from a journalist over the data protection, Sujan said, "There is no scope of NID data leakage as we have signed an agreement with the concerned authorities. The information will remain linked with the main server".

Later, the minister exchanged views over the new system with passengers of Rangpur Express Train, which was leaving Dhaka for Rangpur.

BR Director General Md Quamrul Ahsan, Additional Director General (operation) Sarder Shahadat Ali and other senior officials were present on the occasion.