A large number of people in queues for advance tickets in Kamalapur Railway Station in the capital yesterday ahead of Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja blamed the authorities concerned for anomalies and selling tickets on the black market.
Besides they expressed deep concern as the ticket reservation staffs were taking unusual time to end their task.
While visiting the corresponded found that the ticket touts were openly active on the eyes of law enforces inside the railway station yesterday like two previous days.
Although the advance train ticket sale began from Friday, most of the cabin, chair and first class ticket seekers returned back home empty handed while many people got tickets around after a long-time waiting.
Hasan who stood in queue told the Dhaka Tribune: “I have come in the station on Saturday evening and got a ticket now (yesterday 11:45am) as the counter staff are very slow in delivering service, who are taking 5 to 6 minutes against each ticket while the usual time is 1 to 2 minutes.”
Another ticket seeker named Faruk echoed the voice of Hasan. On the other hand, the depressed ticket seekers were loudly hurling abusive words to the staff for the slow delivery.
Habubur Rahman, one of the ticket seekers, said: “We have seen that the counter staff were selling to few persons who are involved with black marketing. Basically in absence of journalists, they do the misdeed.”
“At the end of the day when the rush of ticket seekers decreases and the countermen sell off that day’s remaining tickets to the scalpers,” he added.
The also correspondent found that several ticket scalpers shouting, saying “Ticket! Ticket...any one can get a ticket without standing the time-consuming queue.” When asked, a scalper declined to talk to any news men.
The railway authorities claimed that security had been tightened there comprising of Railway Security Force, Dhaka Metropolitan Police as well as RAB, BGB and the Army personnel although the correspondent on Saturday found the active movement of the ticket scalpers and brokers.
Besides, many touts were seen trying to squeeze into queues of ticket seekers at the ticket counters using various tricks like other days.
When actual ticket seekers challenged them, they moved to another line and applying the same trick.
Contacted, Kamlapur Railway Station Manager Shakhawat Hossain Khan denied the allegations, saying: “The tickets are being sold smoothly and I have not received any allegation of irregularities yet.”