Free Railway Ticketing App Offer

personal information, a technology student has offered to hand over a self-developed railway ticketing app to the government free of charge. However, technology policy adviser Abu Nazam M Tanveer Hossain has urged the authorities to assess the app’s effectiveness through a fair and transparent process, preferably involving open tendering, rather than accepting it directly. He said the government should create opportunities for local innovators while ensuring that passengers receive the best possible service.

Mohammad Ibrahim Molla, a student of DIIT, says he has developed a complete ticketing app for Bangladesh Railway and wants to hand it over to the government without charging for the software. He said the application could be modified and further developed according to the railway’s requirements. He is also willing to provide technical support and maintenance after the handover.

Welcoming Ibrahim’s initiative, technology policy adviser Abu Nazam M. Tanveer Hossain described it as “very encouraging." However, he suggested that the government should not simply accept the app for free. Instead, he said, the authorities could use a Request for Quotation (RFQ)-based process for a fair assessment, followed by an open tender.

Although Ibrahim’s app reportedly offers self-service features, Tanvir pointed out that a ticketing platform would still require after-sales technical support and long-term maintenance. He questioned why Ibrahim would offer the app for free when continued service and maintenance would also be necessary. However, he said this did not mean the work should be handed to a foreign company.

Tanvir said young people in Bangladesh were doing excellent work in technology and should have opportunities to develop software locally. He expressed hope that local innovators would compete to provide quality services, with passengers ultimately receiving the best possible experience.

Experts have also emphasised cybersecurity and data protection in the deployment of digital ticketing systems. They said the evaluation should consider not only an app’s functionality and user experience but also how passengers’ personal details, travel records and transaction data would be stored and managed. Government control over data, safeguards against unauthorised access and the ability to withstand cyberattacks should also be part of the assessment.

Third-party management of online ticketing

Bangladesh Railway’s online ticketing service has been operated by the Shohoz-Synesis-Vincen joint venture since 15 February 2022. The five-year contract is scheduled to expire in February 2027.

Passengers currently pay a Tk20 service charge when purchasing tickets online. Of this amount, the joint venture receives a commission of Tk6.50. The remaining amount covers VAT and charges from banks and payment service providers, including bKash and Nagad. The commission on tickets sold at railway counters is 25 paisa, according to relevant sources.

Bangladesh Railway sells around 200,000 tickets a day, approximately half of them online. The annual commission earned by the private operator from online ticket sales has been estimated at Tk12 crore to Tk24 crore in the source material. However, a calculation based on 100,000 online tickets a day and a Tk6.50 commission per ticket comes to approximately Tk23.72 crore a year. The basis and period of the Tk12 crore–Tk24 crore estimate therefore need clarification.

Ticket scalping and data protection concerns

Concerns have persisted over ticket scalping and the handling of passengers’ personal and travel information by a third-party operator. An October 2026 railway audit reportedly alleged that bots or automated software were being used to hold tickets as soon as sales opened, allowing them to be resold at higher prices. The audit referred to around 169 administrative accounts and alleged that the dashboard could be used to hold tickets several days before sales began.

An internal note dated 11 October recommended seeking a written explanation from the joint venture’s managing director within three working days. The joint venture said it had submitted an explanation and supporting documents. The audit allegations should therefore be considered in light of the relevant parties’ responses and any subsequent findings.

To curb ticket scalping, the railway has blocked around 10,000 suspected mobile numbers and national identity numbers. It has also sought assistance from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to shut down unauthorised websites.

Preparing to bring the service in-house

According to sources at the railway and the ministry, there is no plan to renew the Shohoz contract when it expires in February 2027. The railway has reportedly secured approval for 49 posts to establish its own information technology department.

Former Railway Secretary Dr Humayun Kabir said building in-house capacity would help reduce dependence on third parties, minimise the risks of manipulation and irregularities, and strengthen control over passenger data.

In October 2025, a Supreme Court lawyer served a legal notice demanding suspension of the contract and disclosure of its terms. At a parliamentary standing committee meeting on 26 October 2026, the ministry reportedly said preparations had been completed to invite a fresh tender for a new service provider before the current contract expires.

International models and government control

In support of his proposal, Ibrahim cited railway ticketing arrangements in several countries. His examples included India’s IRCTC and CRIS, Pakistan’s ministry-linked portal and private payment channels, Sri Lanka’s government portal with technical support from a state-owned telecom operator, Germany’s Deutsche Bahn and DB Navigator, France’s SNCF Connect, South Korea’s Korail and China’s 12306 platform.

He also referred to Nigeria’s public-private partnership model for ticketing, citing complaints about ticket unavailability and resale through agents. The structures and outcomes of these international examples require independent verification.

Ibrahim argues that using a government-owned app could save the commission currently paid to the private operator. It could also create scope to reduce service charges and keep passenger information under government management. However, achieving these benefits would depend on the app’s technical capability, security, maintenance costs and long-term operational plan.

Financial pressure and operational efficiency

The railway’s financial position adds another dimension to the debate over the cost and efficiency of ticketing services. According to figures provided by the minister in parliament, Bangladesh Railway recorded an operating loss of Tk1,756 crore in FY2020-21 and Tk2,185 crore in FY2021-22. The loss exceeded Tk1,500 crore in FY2022-23, stood at Tk2,073 crore in FY2023-24 and reached Tk1,890 crore in FY2024-25.

Ibrahim said he had sent his proposal to the railway minister, state minister and secretary. He claimed that the government had yet to respond or show any meaningful interest in the proposal.

However, he did not clarify whether this would involve creating an entirely new, proprietary application or establishing direct control over an existing one.

The future of railway ticketing will require the government to consider technological innovation, public-sector control, competitive procurement and data protection together. Ibrahim’s offer has opened up one possible avenue for reform, but the app’s suitability should be determined through technical and security assessments and a transparent evaluation process.

//DBTech/IH/SME/MVNO//