Bangladesh Railway pauses sale of tickets for intercity trains after Apr 11

The authorities have stopped the sale of tickets for intercity train journeys after Apr 11 as part of efforts to stem a growing coronavirus outbreak.

Bangladesh Railway announced the decision on Wednesday following government instructions curbing assembly and the number of passengers on public transports.

Trains are now allowed to carry passengers at half the capacity to ensure physical distancing in line with the instructions issued on Monday.

The tickets for trains until Apr 11 will be sold online, on smartphone app, or counters. 

In a letter to top officials, Bangladesh Railway asked that health rules be followed strictly in catering services and bedding supply.

The halt on ticket sale will continue if the government wants to, said Shariful Alam, a spokesman for the railways ministry.

Train services were fully stopped along with other passenger transport services by the end of March 2020.

Bangladesh Railway resumed operations on May 31 last year at half the capacity after the restrictions were eased.

Trains began running at full capacity in mid-September after the coronavirus situation improved. The number of coronavirus cases began rising again in early March this year.