RANGPUR, Sept 10 (BSS): Low-cost carrying of vegetables by intercity trains with two luggage vans in each from the northern districts to the capital since February, has been gradually becoming popular to arrest price spirals in the capital city in recent days. Vegetable prices would mark drastic falls in Dhaka when the newly introduced 350 tonne capacity Parcel Express Train on the Parbotipur-Tejgaon route becomes popular through joint efforts and publicity of the concerned authorities and administrations.
Officials in Bangladesh Railway (BR), administrations, traders, businessmen, common people and local observers said this while talking to the national news agency Thursday as transportation costs would reduce. According to the officials, the BR took special steps for carrying vegetables and other essentials by three intercity trains of Lalmoni Express, Ekota Express and Drutojan at lower costs from northern part of Bangladesh to the capital city from last February.
The steps were taken following instructions of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Ministry of Communications to expedite smooth transportation of vegetables and keep their prices at reasonable level in the retail markets of Dhaka city.
After initial successes, one more luggage van was later attached to each of the three intercity trains running from Lalmonirhat and Dinajpur to Dhaka for further facilitating low-cost vegetables transportation during the month of Ramadan. “We are getting good response from the vegetable traders as they are using the luggage vans of intercity trains and it might take some more time to popularize the Parcel Train”, director general (DG) of BR Mohammad Belayet Hossain told the news agency Thursday. Joint Director General (JDG, Operations) of BR M Shahjahan said that massive steps have been taken to popularise carrying vegetables and other essential commodities by the traders at quicker time to Dhaka from the northern region using the Parcel Train.
The steps include round the clock announcement-using loudspeakers in and around all 14 stoppages in between Parbotipur and Bangabandhu Bridge involving BR officials to convincing the vegetable traders for using the Parcel Train for carrying their vegetables at low-cost. The BR authorities at the national and local levels have been continuing massive publicity works like advertisements in the newspapers to attract the vegetable traders in availing of the golden opportunity. Commercial Manager of the BR’s Western Zone M Akhteruzzaman told the news agency that adequate steps have already been taken to disseminate the information among the traders in the Western Zone to popularise the Parcel Express Train as soon as possible.
Divisional Commercial Manager of Western Zone of BR Ashok Kumar Dey, Lalmonirhat Divisional Railway Manager Kazi Rafikul Alam and Divisional Traffic Superintendent Syed Jahurul Islam and BR officials are exchanging views with all concerned everywhere for the purpose.
Meanwhile, vegetable traders Shamsul Haque of Lalmonirhat, Hafizar Rahman of Gazipur, Abdul Jabbar of Rangpur, Nasir Uddin of Joypurhat, Shamsul Alam of Naogaon and others said that the initiatives could be effective soon if the district administrations were properly involved. “Our vegetables and essential commodities’ transportation costs using the Parcel Train would become less than half, no extortionist can realise tolls on the way and the goods will reach the capital intact and without any risks in shorter period,” the traders expressed their hope. Assistant Station Master of Parbotipur Arif Hossain, Inspector Bayezid Ahmed of the Parcel Train, Santahar Station Master Chhoimuddin and his Parcel Assistant Anwarul Islam and Joypurhat Station Master Abdul Karim narrated brighter prospects of the Parcel Train from the next winter.
