Cox’s Bazar Special Train is one of the most profitable services of Bangladesh Railway. However, the railway has stopped the train. In the face of the anger of the passengers, the railway has decided to start the service again. However, it will be launched as a special train around Eid-ul-Azha.

On Friday afternoon, the Director General (DG) of Railways Sardar Shahadat Ali told the media that there is a plan to run the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar special train as a special train once again due to engine and staff shortage. On the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, the special train which will be restarted from June 12 will run for 1 week.

Earlier on Tuesday (May 28) a circular signed by the Assistant Chief Operating Officer (ACOPS) Kamal Akhtar Hossain of Railways Eastern Zone issued the order to stop the trains.

It is said in that notification, the direction of movement of Cox’s Bazar Special-3 and 4 train till June 10 was given from the office of the Director General of Railways. But the mechanical department informed that there is a shortage of engines and locomasters. That is why the Cox’s Bazar special train is running till May 29. Train services have been canceled from May 30 to June 10.

As the train was announced to be closed, there was immediate outrage among the common passengers. When passengers started traveling regularly on special trains on Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar-Chittagong route, there was a passenger crisis in the bus service. The bus owners were forced to reduce fares up to Tk 100 per passenger on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar route. Still, many of the passengers traveling on this route feel that the owners have ‘managed’ the higher authorities of the railways due to lack of passengers.

In the meantime, Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association claimed in a statement, “Cox’s Bazar special train is being stopped on the prescription of bus owners.”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated about 101 kilometers of railway from Chittagong’s Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar at a cost of about 18 thousand crores on November 11 last year. After that, the railway started two non-stop intercity trains on the Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar route in two phases from December. But railway authority has not yet added any separate train for Chittagong Cox’s Bazar route.