Eid special train service cancelled amid scheduling chaos

A Lalmonirhat-bound Eid special train service has been cancelled amid an ongoing scheduling fiasco hampering operations on the northern and south-western rail routes.

Apologising for the situation, Rail Secretary Mozammel Hossain said passengers of the cancelled Lalmoni Express will receive a refund of the ticket price.

With Eid-ul-Azha vacation starting on Sunday, homebound holidaymakers travelling on the northern and south-western routes over the weekend faced untold sufferings caused by delays and rescheduling of departure times.

Amid the rush, the derailment of a Khulna-bound Sundarban Express west of the Bangabandhu Bridge in Tangail on Friday disrupted services on the route for a three-and-a-half-hour.

According to the railway authorities, the accident forced numerous schedule changes delaying almost all trains bound for the Rangpur, Rajshahi and Khulna divisions across the Bangabandhu Bridge.

And after the situation deteriorated further on Sunday, the rail secretary said the accident coupled with the pressure of Eid passengers meant that trains have not been able to travel at optimal speeds. As a result, trains are not arriving at Kamalapur Station on time leading to the schedule changes.

Unable to maintain train schedules due to the delays, the authorities cancelled the Lalmoni Express which was scheduled to leave Dhaka for Lalmonirhat at 9am on Sunday.