Online train ticketing suspended, passengers struggle

Online train ticket sales in the country have been suspended since Thursday night due to a system failure, with station counter services also affected.

The disruption has caused widespread inconvenience, especially for intercity passengers who rely entirely on online bookings.

At Kamalapur Railway Station, reports emerged Friday of handwritten Black Paper Tickets (BPT) being issued, which are standing-only tickets with no seat reservations, as the counter software is also down. Passengers expressed frustration, citing a lack of prior notice and no way to verify seat availability.

Bangladesh Railway Director General Md Afzal Hossain said the issue began when the ticket sales server slowed down Thursday night. "While trying to fix it, the entire system shut down. We’re currently issuing printed tickets, but advance tickets are already sold out," he said, adding that the system was expected to be restored by noon Friday.

Ticketing services are managed by Shohoz-Synesis-Vincen JV.