Staff Correspondent, Dhaka
Unplanned initiatives in the railway sector have resulted in a significant waste of state funds, Railways Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan has said.
The adviser highlighted the issue while speaking at the inauguration of a new train on the Dhaka-Khulna route at Kamalapur Railway Station on Tuesday.
Fouzul said: "Expenditures have been mismanaged. Stations have been constructed indiscriminately, and railway lines have been expanded without proper planning. However, there has been little consideration as to whether we have enough locomotives, coaches, or adequate manpower to support these expansions."
Addressing passengers, he said: "Everyone expects trains to stop right next to their homes, while also desiring quicker travel times. But this is not feasible. The more stops there are, the longer the travel time will be.
"There seems to be a growing assumption that every location needs a station, and every train must stop everywhere. We urge passengers not to harbour such expectations."
He further added: "Trains will stop where there is significant passenger demand and revenue potential. Always remember, [Bangladesh] Railway is a commercial organization; it must cover its expenditures with its revenue. The government already provides subsidies in various sectors."
