C T Online Desk: Touhidul Islam, a resident of Araihazar in Narayanganj, came to Kamalapur railway station in the capital on Sunday noon to collect advance train tickets for a Rangpur-bound train.
“I stood in a queue before the counter of Rangpur Express around 2:00pm. I took my iftar there and passed a sleepless night in fear that anyone may take my serial. I even didn’t leave the queue for taking Sehri,” he said while talking to the Daily Sun.
He finally got four tickets around 12:00pm on Monday after 22 hours of waiting without food and sleep.
“I wanted to buy tickets for Rangpur, but I was offered with tickets till Chatmohor of Pabna station around 12:00pm. I sought AC ticket, but I got shovon class ticket,” he said.
He said he has to travel rest of the way using another mode of transport.
“Yet I am happy. At least I can enjoy the Eid with my near and dear ones in my village,” he added.
Like Touhidul, all other ticket-seekers who came to collect the advance tickets for April 29 for Khulna, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Joypurhat and some other trains bound to southern and western regions have gone through similar or worst experiences in Kamalapur.
They had to form a queue on Sunday in front of 23 counters of Kamalapur railway station and wait for the start of sales on the counters at 8:00am on Monday.
New Queues Formed on Monday for Collecting Tickets on Tuesday
Sales of advance tickets for most trains were completed within 1:00pm. The tickets of five to six other trains were sold out at 10: 30am.
Ticket-seekers who did not get tickets after waiting for 16-20 hours were seen forming queues in front of the ticket counters.
MSB Sartaj Ahmed who came from Malibagh was seen sitting on a mat along with several others in front of the counter of the Sundarban Express train.
“I will go to Khulna and I have to collect four AC tickets. That’s why we have formed the queue after completion of sales of today’s tickets. We’ve formed a new queue for collecting tickets tomorrow (Tuesday). I come with full preparations to stay in the station until collecting the tickets,” he said.
Md Aziz, a youth who stood in a queue before the ticket counter for Kurigram Express said, “I came to the station at 10:00pm last night. I was in 193 no serial. I could not sleep last night and I may not sleep in the night today.”
