Bangladesh Railway Urges App-Only Ticketing Thru' Rail Sheba App to Thwart Eid Scams

Bangladesh Railway has warned passengers to remain cautious in order to avoid fraud and harassment related to train ticket purchases ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha. The railway authorities have advised that tickets should be purchased only through the designated Rail Sheba App.

The information was disclosed in a notice sent on Wednesday, 13 May, by Rezaul Karim Siddiquee, Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Railways. Advance sale of train tickets for Eid travel also began on the same day.

According to the notice, recently some dishonest individuals have been committing fraud on social media by offering to arrange tickets. They collect money through mobile banking services such as bKash and Nagad, and then cut off communication. In many cases, the SIM cards used are also deactivated afterward.

The railway authority stated that a maximum of four tickets can be purchased at a time using a registered ID through the ‘Rail Sheba’ app, and the names of accompanying passengers must be included. For Eid, 100 percent of tickets are being sold online, and no tickets are being sold outside the designated app.

Authorities further stated that passengers must carry the mobile phone used to purchase the ticket and a photo identification card during travel. If anyone other than the registered ID holder uses the ticket, it will be considered a punishable offense under the law.

The railway has urged that if any individual or group attempts fraud in the name of arranging tickets, they should be handed over to law enforcement agencies. In such cases, assistance can be sought from the Railway Security Force and Railway Police. Additionally, complaints can be lodged via the Bangladesh Railway hotline at 131.

DBTech/SI/EK/OR