Railway Minister Zillul Hakim has said he is working on the prime minister's instructions to heal an ailing railway. He said this as chief guest at a seminar on carrying mangoes by rail from Rajshahi division to other districts, held at the Rajshahi divisional commissioner's office at midday on Saturday, 11 May.

The minister said the railway had at one time limped along. In many places rail lines had been pulled up and sold. Skilled staff had been let go in the name of golden handshakes. "We are running the work in various ways with outsourced people. We have started work on recruitment, but it will take time," he said.

"The railway is sick. You cannot turn your face away from a sick person. On the prime minister's instructions, work is going on to make it well, but it will take time," he said.

The minister said mangoes are perishable: as tasty as they are, they spoil quickly, and transporting them is very sensitive. Sending them by truck costs three to four taka, and carrying them by rail would save that. "The honourable prime minister has arranged this for you. There will always be problems. When something is started there will be problems and flaws, and we will solve them. Double lines will not come in a day. We have started work and are preparing many projects. We will consider your issues and implement them as quickly as possible," he said.

He said every train used to have a luggage van, but in some cases they no longer do; arrangements will be made to attach them. There are AC vans, and mangoes will be carried in them. "We have heard that Rajshahi produces a lot of betel leaf. We can carry betel leaf, and we will carry other crops too," he said.

Bangladesh Railway Director General Sarkar Shahadat Ali said: "We have noted everything you have said, and these problems will be solved. There are 38 luggage vans and 12 AC luggage vans, which we will attach to intercity trains. The only thing we cannot do is door-to-door delivery. We will be able to deliver that too by making agreements with Pathao or others."

Deputy commissioners of Rajshahi, Naogaon and Natore, local MPs and all officials and staff of the Ministry of Railways attended the seminar.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.