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On the occasion of Durga Puja, the government has declared Sunday, October 13, a public holiday. With the weekend holidays on Friday and Saturday, there has been a surge in demand for trains to Cox’s Bazar. As the monsoon ends and the winter season approaches, the number of tourists visiting the scenic city of Cox’s Bazar is already high. To meet this increased demand, seven special trains will operate between October 10 and October 13. In addition to the regular two trains, these special services are expected to enhance transportation to the tourist hub and boost the railway’s revenue.

According to the railway authorities, the number of passengers on this route has exceeded expectations since the launch of the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar-Dhaka train service on December 1, 2023. Every train has been operating at full capacity. Special trains were also introduced during Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha on the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route to meet passenger demand. Considering previous experiences and the current passenger rush, seven special trains will be operational from October 10 to October 13. Each special train will offer 518 seats from Dhaka and 634 seats from Cox’s Bazar. It is estimated that each trip will generate revenue of BDT 6-7 lakh.

When asked about the special train service, Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, Chief Commercial Officer of Bangladesh Railway’s Eastern Division, told Bonik Barta, “Bangladesh Railway always operates trains based on passenger demand. We arrange special train services, whether during natural calamities, seasonal fruit harvests, or the need to transport sacrificial animals during Eid-ul-Adha. Due to the long holiday period, demand is particularly high on the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route, so seven special trains will run for four consecutive days. Given the long distance, passengers can enjoy a safe and pleasant journey.”

On October 1, the General Manager of Bangladesh Railway’s Eastern Region submitted a proposal to the Director General of Bangladesh Railway to operate the special trains during the extended holiday. Deputy Director (TT) Md. Shawkat Jamil Mohsi issued a letter yesterday (Thursday, October 3) announcing that the proposal had been approved. Following this approval, the transport department of the Eastern Division has finalized the schedule and timetable for the special trains.

According to the related documents, the special train will operate with an 18/36 composition. The overnight train from Dhaka will include seven AC berth coaches, one first-class berth coach, four AC chair (Snigdha) coaches, two Shovon chair coaches, and two guard brake, power car, and dining car coaches. Due to the composition of the overnight train, the seating capacity will be limited to 518. However, during the daytime journey from Cox’s Bazar, passengers can sit in the berth coaches, increasing the seating capacity to 634. The train will depart from Dhaka at 11:00 pm on October 10 and arrive in Cox’s Bazar at 7:30 am the following day. Special trains will operate until October 13, transporting passengers to Cox’s Bazar. From October 11 to October 13, special trains will depart from Cox’s Bazar daily at 1:40 pm and arrive at Dhaka’s Kamalapur station by 10:00 pm.

Several railway officials mentioned that ticket demand on the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route is extremely high due to the long holiday. Bangladesh Railway has decided to introduce this special service in response to regular requests for additional tickets. However, despite the train’s capacity being limited to 518 seats, around 2,000 ticket requests have already been received through various channels. Due to the affordable fares and safe train journeys, there is significant demand for tickets on this route. Plans to introduce new trains on this route are underway in the future.

Cox’s Bazar Express, the intercity train service for the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar-Dhaka route, began passenger service on December 1, 2023. Another train, the Parjatak Express, began operating on January 1 of this year. Both trains have a stopover in Chattogram, and two coaches (Snigdha and Shovon chair) are allocated for Chattogram passengers.