Special train will run in Sylhet from April 18

The demand for train tickets increases two to three times during Eid. But the number of trains does not increase compared to that. So most people have to depend on road. As passengers have to pay extra fare, there is also risk of accidents. To alleviate this suffering, the railway department has launched special trains in the eastern part of the country.

One of the seven special trains in the eastern region will run on the Chandpur-Sylhet route. The process of launching a new pair of inter-city trains on this route has been started to facilitate the travel of the people of Chandpur and greater Comilla region working in Sylhet. The special train on the Chandpur-Sylhet route will leave Sylhet at 4:40 PM and reach Chandpur at 12:30 PM. And it will leave Chandpur at 4 PM and reach Sylhet at 12 PM. The train has 488 seats.

According to railway sources, after the approval of the Prime Minister, the railways is examining the feasibility of a new train on the route and forming an opinion. The train is likely to be commissioned by this year with new rakes from Indonesia. And with the aim of finalizing this process, ‘special train’ is being started experimentally on this route around Eid. 1 pair of special trains will run on this route for 5 days before Eid and 4 days after. It will have 10 coaches. All Eid Yatra tickets have to be done online.

During the British period, a train was plying on the Sylhet-Chandpur route under the then Assam Bengal Railway. Tea and other goods were going to Chandpur from Assam by that train named ‘Meghna’. From there the goods reached Britain by sea through Calcutta port. After the end of the British rule, the railway route was closed over time. Later the train was given the name ‘Meghna’ on the Chittagong-Chandpur route. Moreover, in 2000, a commuter train from Chandpur to Laksam had several compartments attached for Sylhet bound passengers.

After reaching Laksam Junction, these coaches were linked with the Jalalabad Express train. By doing this, the passengers could travel to Sylhet without any hassle at a very comfortable and affordable price.  On September 20, 2000, due to severe erosion of Meghna river, several parts of Chandpur large railway station were also lost under the river. Later, the collapsed area was filled with sand, but the railway authorities did not resume train services via Laksam to Sylhet.  About 50,000 people in Comilla district and 40,000 people in Chandpur district are working in different professions in Sylhet divisional city. Many students of Chandpur-Comilla are also studying in colleges and universities of Sylhet region. A total of 30 buses ply daily from Sylhet to Comilla and Chandpur districts.

The service quality of these buses is very low. The two inter-city trains plying on the Sylhet-Chittagong route have a small number of seats allotted to residents of Greater Comilla, which is very less than the population living in the Sylhet division.  Sylhet Railway station manager. Nurul Islam said that train movement will start on Sylhet-Chittagong route from 18th.

1 pair of special trains will run on this route for 5 days before Eid and 4 days after. Tickets are being sold online. Introduction of inter-city trains was much needed for smooth travel between Sylhet and Chandpur. With the launch of special trains, we are very optimistic about regular trains running on this route.