It costs Tk 2.5 to earn Tk 1 in railways: Adviser

Adviser to the Ministry of Railways, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, said on Wednesday that the railway is a loss-making institution, with Tk 2.5 spent for every Tk 1 earned. He identified two main reasons for this: corruption within the railways and wastage. 

“We are taking effective measures to stop corruption and reduce wastage,” the Railways Adviser said.

He made these remarks during the inauguration of a new pair of commuter trains on the Dhaka-Narsingdi-Bhairab Bazar-Narsingdi-Dhaka route at Kamalapur Railway Station in the capital.

The Adviser also mentioned that the service fee for railways is relatively low. Despite this, some passengers in certain areas do not pay their fare. If this continues, railway services may be reduced. He urged passengers to report anyone found evading fares, emphasising that further losses may lead to the discontinuation of services.

He further noted that Professor Yunus had instructed that development must extend beyond Dhaka. “Our development will be without nameplates. No one’s name will be displayed. We aim to begin a new era of development without nameplates,” he said.

When asked about the number of stops for the newly inaugurated trains, the Adviser explained that the number of stops would be determined by analysing passenger demand. While many passengers want stops near their homes, he pointed out that if a train stops for 5-10 minutes at each station, it would add an extra hour to the travel time, which could inconvenience other passengers.

Railways Adviser Fahimul Haq, Director General of Bangladesh Railways Mohammad Afzal Hossain, and other senior officials were also present at the event.