Sylhet, Oct 08 (V7N) – Train tickets on routes connecting Sylhet with Dhaka and Chattogram are allegedly disappearing within moments of being released online, leaving thousands of passengers struggling to secure tickets and raising concerns over an organized ticket black-marketing network.
The issue has now reached the court, with Sylhet Chief Judicial Magistrate Abdullah Al Noman reportedly taking the matter up suo motu and filing a case over alleged irregularities in the sale of train tickets.
The case, Miscellaneous Case No. 01/2026, seeks an impartial investigation to identify those responsible and bring the perpetrators to justice, according to the complaint.
The court has reportedly ordered the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to investigate the allegations, and the investigation has begun, according to sources.
Tickets Disappear Almost Instantly
Passengers in Sylhet have long complained about difficulties in purchasing train tickets, particularly on the busy Sylhet-Dhaka and Sylhet-Chattogram routes.
According to passengers, tickets for Sylhet-Dhaka trains often become unavailable five to six days before travel, while tickets for Sylhet-Chattogram trains may remain unavailable even seven to eight days in advance.
The most common complaint is that once tickets are released online, a large portion of the available seats allegedly disappears within moments.
For ordinary passengers waiting to purchase tickets through official channels, the experience can feel like a race they have little chance of winning.
Allegations of a Ticket Black-Market Network
Passengers and other affected people allege that some intermediaries or ticket brokers purchase tickets immediately after they are released online and later resell them to passengers at inflated prices.
The allegations have raised questions over whether ordinary passengers are being denied fair access to tickets through manipulation of the online purchasing system.
However, the allegations will need to be established through investigation.
The court's decision to initiate an investigation has therefore generated expectations among passengers that the actual mechanism behind the rapid disappearance of tickets will be identified.
Ordinary Passengers Pay the Price
The shortage of train tickets is not merely a matter of inconvenience. Passengers who fail to secure tickets are often forced to use road transport, despite higher costs, traffic congestion and longer travel times.
The problem has become more acute as road construction and ongoing roadwork in different areas have increased traffic congestion and travel delays.
As a result, many people who would otherwise prefer buses or other road transport are increasingly looking toward trains for relatively convenient travel.
But securing a train ticket has become a major challenge for many passengers.
Why Do Tickets Disappear So Quickly?
The situation raises several questions:
How many tickets are actually released online for each train?
How quickly are those tickets purchased after release?
Are tickets being acquired through legitimate individual purchases, or are automated systems, multiple accounts or organized networks being used?
Are tickets later being resold at prices above the official fare?
And, if such a network exists, how is it operating despite the railway's online ticketing system?
These questions are particularly important because the online ticketing system was introduced in part to make ticket purchases more transparent and accessible to passengers.
Investigation Could Reveal the Mechanism
The investigation ordered by the court could provide an opportunity to examine the entire ticketing process—from the moment tickets are uploaded to the online system to their purchase and subsequent use or resale.
Investigators may also need to examine transaction records, user accounts, purchasing patterns and complaints from passengers to determine whether organized manipulation is taking place.
If evidence of black marketing or other illegal practices is found, identifying those involved and taking legal action could help restore public confidence in the railway ticketing system.
A Nationwide Concern
Although the current case has brought the issue into focus in Sylhet, complaints over the availability and resale of train tickets have been raised by passengers in different parts of Bangladesh.
The country's railway network serves millions of passengers, particularly during holidays, festivals and peak travel periods. Any weakness in the ticketing system can therefore affect a large section of the public.
For passengers, the issue is straightforward: tickets released through official channels should remain accessible through a fair and transparent process.
The investigation into the Sylhet case is now being closely watched by passengers who hope it will determine why tickets allegedly disappear so quickly and whether an organized network is responsible.
A transparent investigation and effective action against proven wrongdoing could be an important step toward restoring confidence in Bangladesh's train ticketing system.
END/AKR/SMA/
