Bangladesh Railway will add extra coaches to nine intercity trains in the western region ahead of Eid-ul-Azha to ease pressure on holiday travel and improve passenger comfort.
Railway officials said the additional coaches would operate during different periods between 23 May and 7 June. A special train service will also run between Joydebpur and Parbatipur to support passengers travelling to northern districts.
Farid Ahmed, General Manager of the Western Zone Railway, said one extra coach would be attached to each of the nine intercity trains before Eid, while two coaches would be added after the holiday rush. The added capacity will include both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned coaches.
The additional coaches are expected to operate mainly from 23 May to 27 May before Eid, and from 29 May to 7 June afterwards. Railway authorities said train No. 793, the Panchagarh Express, would not operate on 27 May.
According to railway officials, extra coaches will remain attached to the Nilphamari Rocket and Sirajganj Express from 23 May to 6 June. The Rajshahi-bound Banalata Express, Silkcity Express, Padma Express and Dhumketu Express will also receive additional coaches, alongside the northern routes served by the Drutojan Express, Panchagarh Express and Ekota Express.
The effort has increased pressure on the Saidpur Railway Workshop in Nilphamari, where workers are operating around the clock to prepare the extra coaches. The workshop, established in 1870 and one of the country’s oldest railway facilities, is repairing a record 127 coaches for Eid-ul-Azha. That figure is 21 higher than the 106 coaches repaired before the last Eid-ul-Fitr.
Shah Sufi Nur Mohammad, Divisional Superintendent of the workshop, said 99 coaches had already been repaired and handed over to the railway’s traffic department. The remaining 28 are expected to be delivered by next Saturday.
He added that 103 coaches had already been supplied to the Pakshi and Lalmonirhat railway divisions, while the rest would be delivered shortly. The coaches will increase passenger capacity on routes linking Chilahati, Panchagarh, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Dhaka and Chattogram.
Despite a severe staff shortage, workshop employees are continuing repairs with extended working hours. Of the 2,859 approved posts, only 664 employees are currently in service, representing just 23% of the required workforce.
Ruhul Amin, the engineer overseeing the Schedule Shop, and Mominul Islam, who leads the Carriage Shop, said ensuring safe and comfortable travel for people returning home during Eid remained their main priority despite limited manpower.
Repair work is being carried out across 24 units, including bogie, heavy repair, carriage construction and paint shops. Workers are replacing damaged coach structures, repairing trolleys, improving seating arrangements and fixing electrical systems.
The preparations extend beyond the western region. Bangladesh Railway is preparing a total of 251 coaches nationwide for Eid travel this year. Of those, 127 are being repaired at Saidpur for western routes, while 124 are being prepared at the Pahartali Railway Workshop in Chattogram to maintain services in the eastern region.
Mostafa Zakir Hasan, superintendent of the Pahartali workshop, said travel demand during Eid-ul-Azha is usually higher than during Eid-ul-Fitr because more people return to their hometowns for the festival.
He said repair work at the Chattogram facility began six weeks ago. So far, 99 of the 124 targeted coaches have been repaired and handed over to the transport department, while the remaining coaches are expected to be ready before the Eid holidays begin.
Railway transport officials said two to five additional coaches would be attached to regular trains on key routes during the Eid period. Special train services will also operate on several routes to help passengers travel home more smoothly.
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