The High Court on Thursday came down hard on Bangladesh Railway for mismanagement, ticket scalping, and carrying passengers on the train roofs. The court ordered the railway authorities to inform it by July 31 what steps have been taken to stop passengers journeying on the train roofs and ticket scalping — a practice of illegally purchasing tickets for reselling them at an inflated price. Earlier on the day, the representatives of the railway and ticket operator company said what steps have been taken to prevent mismanagement in the railway services.
Railway thronged by passengers in and outside during holidays, religious and political events in the last several decades has become an example of mismanagement and risky journey. Citizens and policymakers are both amused seeing such risky transportation year after year. Underneath the surface, the railway turned into a hub of corruption and nobody bothered it. Though fare increased many times, service improvement remains stagnant and the promise to modernise the services remains in books.
The HC said if the passengers are allowed to travel on the roof even after they pay fares; it is outright corruption and must be stopped at any cost. It added that accidents might take place if people are allowed to be on the roofs.
Over the few years, the government has purchased a number of locomotives and invested in developing the metro in Dhaka, while rail communication with several destinations is heavily at risk due to years-old tracks. We do ask the authorities concerned to prioritize the railway by modernising it, modifying it, and increasing the service at an affordable cost as the railway is still the safest mode of mass transportation for the majority.
The High Court Division has often expressed well-meaning wishes to help the government to improve its performance. With all the institutions of the government made non-functional, good governance is not possible. To ask the government to fight corruption means asking the government to end itself.
