Bangladesh's first electric trains are set to start carrying passengers on the Uttara Diabari-Agargaon section on December 29, though on a limited scale initially, and the people, especially the residents of Mirpur, are eagerly waiting to board the trains as they have observed the construction work since 2017.
However, some of the features of these trains, each with six air-conditioned trailer cars, may frustrate the typical passengers who are accustomed to travelling on local and intercity trains.
Late: There is little to no chance that the train would wait at a station for someone. However, trains will arrive at the stations at regular intervals, and the doors will open and close automatically.
Free journey: You cannot enter a station's platform if you do not have a one-time ticket or a prepaid card.
Ticket tricks: Moreover, there is no opportunity to pay less than what is fixed for your actual destination and leave a station. The automated ticketing system is smarter than manual management and will not allow you to leave the station until you pay the correct amount.
Roofs: You cannot travel on the roof to save ticket money either because of the 1,500V overhead cables.
Seats: You cannot cut the covers with a blade because these seats are made of plastic and there is no foam to pull off.
Smoking: The trailer cars are air-conditioned and there are no toilets either – so no scope for smoking inside the trains.
Stoning: The trains will run at a high speed on viaducts at a height of 13-15 metres through the city centre. So there is no scope of running away after throwing stones at the trains.
Cleanliness: You cannot make a mess of the trailer cars with leftovers or by spitting spittle of chewed betel because of the CCTV cameras.
