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The Bangladesh Railway (BR) has held up its plan to resume services of 16 more trains on different routes due to poor number of passengers in the trains that have resumed operation since May 31.
Earlier, the state-owned train operator in a meeting last week took the decision of resuming services of 16 more trains from June 16.
The BR Director General Mohammad Shamsuzzaman said considering the current pandemic situation, the decision to resume the trains' services from June 16 has been deferred.
"Actually, we're not getting required number of passengers for the permitted number of seats against each of the intercity train's capacity," he told the FE over phone.
The DG said the BR has taken decision to observe a few more days to perceive the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country. However, sources said the state agency may resume services of its planned 16 trains shortly.
The BR resumed intercity train services on some routes after 67 days of suspension, as lockdown was relaxed for public transports on May 31.
Initially it started eight intercity trains on Dhaka-Chattogram, Dhaka-Rajshahi, Dhaka-Lalmonirhat, and Chattogram-Sylhet routes after the relaxation of lockdown.
Later, on June 3, the BR also resumed services of Teesta Express on Dhaka-Dewanganj Bazar route, Benapole Express on Dhaka-Benapole, Nil Sagar Express on Dhaka-Chilhati, Rupsha Express on Khulna-Chilhati, Kapatakkhyo Express on Khulna-Rajshahi, Modhumati Express on Rajshahi-Goalondoghat, Meghna Express on Chattogram-Chandpur, Kishoreganj Express on Dhaka-Kishoreganj, and Upokul Express on Dhaka-Noakhali.
The BR resumed services by maintaining 14 guidelines of the Health Directorate, which include selling all tickets online, disinfecting trains, and maintaining physical distancing in seat arrangement etc.
Sources said the train services that the BR is planning to resume include Ognibina Express, Haor Express, Egarosindur Express, Parabat Express, Padma Express, and Titumir Express, which will run on Dhaka-Tarakandi, Dhaka-Mohonganj, Dhaka-Kishoreganj, Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Khulna, and Dhaka-Rangpur routes respectively.