Five minutes of agony at airport railway station
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
As soon as a train enters the platform, the scene changes. Waiting passengers rush toward the doors. Some are carrying luggage, while others have children in their arms. Some are getting off, while others are trying to get on. Within moments, a crowd gathers at the doors. There is pressure from behind, but no room in front. Then comes the whistle.
There is no time to look for a seat. Passengers have to board through whichever door is in front of them. Many end up getting into the wrong coach. They then have to push through the crowd to reach their own seats. With luggage, children and standing passengers blocking the way, it can take some people up to an hour to reach their seats. The train, however, does not wait.
The five-minute stop at Dhaka Airport Railway Station has now become a major source of suffering for passengers. They complain that it is impossible for such a large number of people to board and get off safely within such a short time. Their demand is that the stop be extended to at least 10 minutes.
Passenger Jahirul Islam, who was waiting at the station, said, “After the train stops, it feels like I am trying to catch it rather than board it. Everyone is getting on at the same time. The main concern is whether I will even be able to reach my own coach.”
For Khilkhet resident Kamal Hossain, the problem is even more immediate. Airport station is close to his home. Yet because of the crowds, he often has to go to Kamalapur to board a train. In his words, “If I go to Kamalapur, I can take a little time to board. But our home is in the Khilkhet area. It should be more convenient to board from here. Instead, the pressure is so intense that I often go all the way to Kamalapur.”
This means additional time and expenses. Passengers have to travel through traffic congestion to reach Kamalapur. Road traffic increases, while working hours and fuel are wasted. Yet Airport Railway Station is one of the most convenient rail links for people in northern and eastern Dhaka.
Passengers also have complaints about tickets, not just boarding. In many cases, more passengers board trains from Airport Station than from Kamalapur. Yet tickets for many trains bound for destinations outside Dhaka are not allocated online for Airport Station. As a result, passengers are unable to fully benefit from this important station even when they use it.
Passengers say the solution is not particularly difficult. Giving trains just five additional minutes at the station would significantly reduce the crowding.
Anil Kumar, a resident of Uttara, is travelling to Kuliarchar. He asks, “Would the railway really suffer that much if the train stopped for 10 minutes? We are not asking them to keep the train standing all day. At least those boarding at Airport Station should be able to get on without pushing and shoving.”
The railway authorities, however, have a different calculation. They say an average of 140 trains leave Kamalapur every day for various destinations across the country. Of these, around 16 operate on the Narayanganj route and 12 run across the Padma Bridge. The remaining 112 pass through Airport Station on their way to different destinations across the country. Given the heavy volume of train traffic, even an additional few minutes at Airport Station could have a significant impact.
At Kamalapur, trains can depart simultaneously from eight platforms. As a result, once one train leaves, there is room to accommodate the next train. The situation at Airport Station is different. On their way out of Dhaka, trains mainly have to use a single main line. If one train remains stopped for longer, it becomes difficult to create space for the train behind it.
When the platform is busy, a train behind has to wait at the outer signal. An additional five-minute stop for one train can therefore increase the waiting time for the next train. That delay can then spread to trains farther behind.
The problem begins even before trains reach Airport Station. The scheduled travel time from Kamalapur to Airport is 27 minutes. In reality, many trains take as long as 35 to 45 minutes. They are particularly losing additional time in the Tejgaon area. If boarding passengers at Airport Station also takes longer, it creates further pressure.
According to railway officials, although the scheduled stop is five minutes on paper, it often takes 10 to 12 minutes in reality to complete the boarding and disembarking of passengers. If the official stop is extended to 10 minutes, the actual time could increase further. This could disrupt the schedules of several trains.
In other words, the railway’s objection is not about denying passengers more time; the problem lies with infrastructure and operations.
Experts also say the stop could be extended as an immediate solution. But a permanent solution would require increasing the station’s capacity. Once the third and fourth tracks are operational, multiple trains could enter the station at the same time. One train would not have to wait at the outer signal while passengers board another train.
According to transport expert and BUET Professor Moazzem Hossain, passengers should be given as much time as necessary to board trains safely and comfortably. This is a passenger’s right. Therefore, the crisis at Airport Station is not really about five minutes. It is a capacity problem. For passengers, an additional five minutes could mean boarding safely, reaching their seats, or avoiding the traffic congestion on the way to Kamalapur. For the railway, the same five minutes means longer waits for trains behind, congestion at the outer signal and additional pressure on the timetable.
Those concerned say the solution must therefore take both sides into consideration. Simply extending the train’s stop will not be enough; the station’s capacity and operational efficiency must also be increased. Putting the third and fourth tracks into operation, giving greater priority to Airport Station in ticket allocations, and improving passenger boarding and disembarking management could be the way forward.
Otherwise, this five-minute race will continue—passengers will keep rushing to catch their trains, while the railway will keep racing to manage its schedules.
