'Mahanagar Express' to launch on Oct 26; Feni passengers left frustrated

Some travellers have also raised concerns about possible irregularities, syndicates and black-market ticket sales, although no evidence of such practices has been established.

According to Feni Railway Station sources, a total of 62 seats on the Mahanagar Express have been allocated for passengers boarding at Feni. Of these, 15 are for passengers travelling towards Chattogram and 47 for those heading to Cox’s Bazar.

The Cox’s Bazar-bound allocation comprises 15 AC seats in the Snigdha class, 30 non-AC Shovon Chair seats and two cabin seats.

Passengers complain that the limited allocation, combined with the rapid disappearance of tickets from the online booking system, is making it difficult for ordinary travellers to secure seats.

Regular passengers at Feni Junction said they had long demanded stoppages at Feni for the Cox’s Bazar Express and the Parjotak Express after the two trains were introduced on the Dhaka–Cox’s Bazar route. The extension of the Mahanagar Express route has raised hopes of better connectivity, but concerns over ticket availability have cast a shadow over the new service.

Shahadat Hossain, a passenger, said Feni already received a limited allocation of seats on intercity trains. He alleged that seats were becoming unavailable within seconds of tickets being released through Shohoz.com, the online ticketing partner.

He said ordinary residents would struggle to travel to Cox’s Bazar unless the authorities addressed concerns over ticket syndicates and black-market sales.

Shahidul Islam, a resident of Feni town, said he had been waiting for tickets for the Mahanagar Express but failed to secure a seat departing from Feni.

He said the announcement of the new train service had raised his expectations, but the inability to obtain a ticket left him disappointed. He urged railway authorities to ensure that ordinary passengers were not deprived of the opportunity to buy tickets.

Another passenger, Mahmudul Hasan, said he had welcomed the prospect of travelling directly from Feni to Cox’s Bazar by train but was disappointed when he tried to purchase a ticket.

He questioned how ordinary travellers could obtain seats if tickets sold out so quickly after online sales opened.

Feni Railway Station Master Md Harun confirmed that 62 seats had been allocated for passengers boarding at Feni, including 47 seats for Cox’s Bazar-bound travellers.

Regarding allegations of ticket irregularities, he said there was no scope for syndicates or irregularities in ticket sales at the station counter. Online ticket sales, he added, were outside the station authorities’ control.

For the October 26 journey, seven tickets were sold at the station counter, while the remaining tickets were sold online, he said.

Passengers are now calling on the railway authorities to increase Feni’s seat allocation and ensure greater transparency in online ticket sales so that local travellers can benefit from the new service without unnecessary difficulties.